Summary of LAO Findings and Recommendations on the 2011-12 Budget

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	Program	Budget Issue	LAO Finding Or Recommendation	Last Updated
Go Back	Department of Forestry and Fire Protection	Budget solution: reduce amount of zero-based budget for fire protection permanent funding by $9.7m	The Governor’s January budget proposal to make permanent $42.8m of expenditures temporarily shifted from the emergency fund to CalFire's base budget has merit. However, to serve as an option for General Fund budget solution, we have identified a reduction to the request totaling $9.7m of lower priority activities. This includes eliminating: Large Air Tanker, Victorville Base, 1.0 PY Aviation coordinator, Lake Tahoe engine/staffing, Defensible space program, and 1.0 PY of CAL Card support.	4-27-11

Detailed Narrative
Please note that we find that all of the firefighting activities funded in the budget request totaling $42.8 million have merit and have been adequately justified. In this write-up, we are providing a potential budget option for savings to the General Fund for the Legislature to consider, not a recommendation for best practices. This budget solution option was developed with CalFire's assistance in identifying the activities funded by the budget request that, in the department's view, would be a relatively lower priority.

Detailed Narrative

Please note that we find that all of the firefighting activities funded in the budget request totaling $42.8 million have merit and have been adequately justified. In this write-up, we are providing a potential budget option for savings to the General Fund for the Legislature to consider, not a recommendation for best practices. This budget solution option was developed with CalFire's assistance in identifying the activities funded by the budget request that, in the department's view, would be a relatively lower priority.