In summary

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

Politicians give voters a double dose of sneakiness

A “trailer” bill for the 2018-2019 state budget would suspend a law requiring voters to be told about the effects of local bond issues on their property taxes. Local officials apparently fear that with more information, voters would be less inclined to vote for the measures.

How would Gavin Newsom pay for his promises?

Gavin Newsom is almost certain to become California’s next governor and is promising a vast array of new services. But with Californians’ taxes already among nation’s highest. how would he pay for them?

One welfare boost for the poor, another for the rich

The state Senate voted unanimously to increase welfare grants to nearly a million Californians. But it also voted almost unanimously to give welfare of another kind to the movie industry.

Top-two primary puts California in national spotlight

National media were drawn to California by its top-two primary election system and its effect on congressional races. Political party leaders hate the system, but voters like it and it’s likely to remain in place.

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Dan Walters has been a journalist for more than 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. He began his professional career in 1960, at age 16, at the Humboldt Times...