In summary

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

School budgets squeezed despite ‘extraordinary’ state surplus

The state government’s budget situation is quite rosy, as Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor points out. But school districts are facing a financial squeeze as enrollment drops and costs, especially pension costs, rise.

The ‘Trump effect’ worked well for Democrats

President Donald Trump said he wanted this month’s election to be a referendum on him and in California, it certainly was, leading to a massive Democratic sweep.

One election over, another looms on the horizon

This year’s votes are still being counted in California, but political pros are looking to 2020 and the state’s earlier presidential primary. A flock of would-be candidates could make California a player.

Outgoing Gov. Brown tries to forge big water deal

As climate change threatens to affect California’s water supply, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown tries to do a big picture water deal in the final days of his governorship.

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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...