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October 23, 2003 - The Legislature was faced with addressing an enormous two-year General Fund budget shortfall in developing the state's spending plan for 2003-04. We discuss the factors underlying this shortfall, describe the key actions taken to address it, and provide detail on the adopted budget package.
August 1, 2003 - The budget package, as passed by the Legislature, authorizes total spending of $98.9 billion. Of this amount, $70.8 billion is from the General Fund, $20.5 billion is from special funds, and $7.5 billion from bond funds. It addresses an enormous General Fund shortfall through a combination of program savings, borrowing, new revenues, funding shifts, and deferrals.
July 28, 2003 - Highlights of the Budget Bill as adopted by the Senate.
July 16, 2003 - Presented to the Senate Select Committee on Fiscal Restructuring
July 10, 2003 - Presented to Senate Select Committee on Fiscal Restructuring
June 2, 2003 - A summary of the Assembly Budget Bill as adopted by the Budget Committee.
June 2, 2003 - A summary of the Senate Budget Bill as adopted by the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.
May 19, 2003 - The May Revision adopts a multiyear approach to addressing the state's massive budget problem, relying more on borrowing and less on near-term spending reductions than the January proposal. Adoption of the plan would likely result in a precariously balanced 2003-04 budget, but would leave the state with a still-formidable structural imbalance between ongoing revenues and expenditures in the future. Primarily because of this imbalance, we believe that if the Governor's multiyear approach is adopted, it should include additional ongoing solutions beyond those proposed in the May Revision.
March 25, 2003 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
February 26, 2003 - Overview of 2003-04 Budget presented to the California Transportation Foundation.
February 19, 2003 - California faces an unprecedented budget shortfall--roughly one-third of the General Fund budget-- due to an unexpected dramatic decline in state tax receipts combined with ongoing increases in state government costs. The Governor's budget proposal, would eliminate the while its large amount of ongoing savings would also address California's long-term structural imbalance.
February 19, 2003 - The United States and California economies continue to struggle in early 2003, due primarily to restrained hiring and investment pending by businesses. We assume that stronger economic growth will resume in the second half of 2003