In summary

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

California’s version of Les Misérables

California has its own version of Les Misérables in the quarter-century-long effort by California’s income tax system to collect millions in taxes from high-tech inventor Gilbert Hyatt. And it looks like Hyatt will finally prevail.

Kamala Harris grabs for the brass ring

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris is wasting no time grabbing for the brass ring of American politics, the presidency. She’s joined a large and growing field of Democrats.

The high price we pay for low-rent housing

California has a severe housing crisis but it’s compounded by the high price of building or even rehabbing low-cost housing.

Two crises point to a larger societal ill

A strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Pacific Gas and Electric’s announced intention to declare bankruptcy are symptoms of a larger malady of arrogance and irresponsibility by large institutions.

We want to hear from you

Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? You can find our submission guidelines here. Please contact CalMatters with any commentary questions: commentary@calmatters.org

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...