Kevin de León needed to get aggressive in his only joint appearance with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who he wants to defeat on Nov. 6. But de León was very subdued and didn’t change the campaign’s dynamics.
Despite very strong growth in property taxes, hundreds of local governments are asking voters to approve additional taxes. They are reluctant, however, to tell voters that rising pension costs are the major reason.
Jerry Brown has never been interested in management of the state bureaucracy and as he prepares to retire from the governorship he probably will leave behind a managerial debacle in the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
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...
More by Dan Walters
Weekly Walters 10/19/2018
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In summary
A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.
Feinstein-de León Senate debate changed nothing
Kevin de León needed to get aggressive in his only joint appearance with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who he wants to defeat on Nov. 6. But de León was very subdued and didn’t change the campaign’s dynamics.
Locals seek new levies despite $4B property tax surge
Despite very strong growth in property taxes, hundreds of local governments are asking voters to approve additional taxes. They are reluctant, however, to tell voters that rising pension costs are the major reason.
Brown’s legacy will include a DMV debacle
Jerry Brown has never been interested in management of the state bureaucracy and as he prepares to retire from the governorship he probably will leave behind a managerial debacle in the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Four measures would do little about housing crisis
Four measures on the November ballot purport to address California’s housing crisis, but they are minimalist at best, and one would make it worse.
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Dan WaltersOpinion Columnist
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... More by Dan Walters