FresnoBee.com: Dan Walters http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from FresnoBee.com in California's Central Valley en-us Copyright 2006 FresnoBee.com Dan Walters 60 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:01:23 PDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy's PubSys jward@fresnobee.com Nothing new as budget stalemate continues http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/703150.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/703150.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:25:28 PDT So the new fiscal year begins without a state budget in place. So what's new? Homeowners should pay for state fire protection http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/699947.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/699947.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:51:43 PDT The layer of smoke from hundreds of wildfires that covers much of the state is a dark reminder that while living in California has many benefits, Californians face perennial peril from fires, earthquakes, floods and other calamities. Structural deficit has legislators scrambling http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/690460.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/690460.html Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:51:42 PDT Gov. Schwarzenegger and state legislators are searching -- so far, in vain -- for a solution to the whopping budget deficit that can pass political muster inside and outside the Capitol. Students not getting basic skills for college http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/687474.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/687474.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:48:11 PDT The Legislature's budget analyst issued a report last week on the chronic problems that the state's community colleges encounter in instilling the fundamental reading, writing and mathematics skills their students need to obtain college educations. Budget is governor's problem, voters' fault http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/675821.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/675821.html Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:15:14 PDT The state's whopping budget deficit is obviously a huge political headache for Gov. Schwarzenegger and legislators, and it shows no signs of being resolved quickly. But it's also an object lesson in unintended consequences. State budget mess may drag out until the fall http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/672592.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/672592.html Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:46:49 PDT This year's version of California's more or less perpetual state budget crisis has four noteworthy aspects, to wit: Conflicts of interest abound in education http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/669455.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/669455.html Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:57:47 PDT What we call "public education" in California is an amorphous collection of countless specific programs, pots of money, governmental entities, political stakeholders, laws and regulations not to mention, of course, about 6 million kids who are supposed to be educated to take their places in the adult world. Budget battle hits schools -- inevitably http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/656524.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/656524.html Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:30:31 PDT Sooner or later, every battle over the state budget boils down to how much money to spend on schools, and this year is no exception. State water crisis isn't beyond our control http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/654391.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/654391.html Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:48:19 PDT Gov. Schwarzenegger's declaration that California faces drought is another reminder as if we need one that politics isn't just a gotcha game, but a process with consequences, either good or ill. California election maneuver backfires http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/645040.html http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/walters/story/645040.html Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:42:38 PDT What if they held an election and nobody voted? That's not exactly what happened Tuesday in California, but voting was very light, perhaps setting a record low for a primary election, even though voter registration had been surging, topping 16 million for the first time in three years.