Other Government Areas Publications

To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.

 

Report

The 2015-16 Budget: Staffing Cal/OSHA Enforcement Responsibilities

March 13, 2015 - To address the Governor's concerns with current Cal/OSHA enforcement, his budget proposes additional Cal/OSHA positions. We recommend that the Legislature approve the requested level of new positions. However, we emphasize that targeting planned inspections to those business establishments with the highest likelihood of improved compliance is critical to using planned inspection resources cost-effectively, and recommend that DIR report at legislative hearings on ongoing efforts to improve inspection targeting.

Handout

BOE’s Cigarette and Tobacco Programs

March 10, 2015 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee

Report

Unclaimed Property: Rethinking the State’s Lost & Found Program

February 10, 2015 - California law has long required banks, insurance companies, and many other types of entities to transfer to the State Controller’s Office (SCO) personal property considered abandoned by owners. The SCO has made important strides in reuniting this "unclaimed property" with owners recently, but faces budgetary and statutory constraints in reuniting even more such property. Since the 1950s, the state has accumulated over $7 billion in unclaimed property belonging to individuals, businesses, and local governments. Because property not reunited with owners becomes state General Fund revenue, the unclaimed property law creates an incentive for the state to reunite less property with owners. We recommend performance measures, or targets, for the unclaimed property program that place a greater emphasis on reuniting more property with owners and offer 19 options for meeting that goal.

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 13

August 25, 2014 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 13 (Stationary Engineers). Bargaining Unit 13 is represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 39. This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 10

August 22, 2014 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 10 (Scientists). Bargaining Unit 10 is represented by the California Association of Professional Scientists. This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 2

August 22, 2014 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 2 (Attorneys). Bargaining Unit 2 is represented by California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges, and Hearing Officers in State Employment (CASE). This review is pursuant to Section 19829.5 of the Government Code.

Handout

State Equal Employment Opportunity Programs After GRP-1

July 2, 2014 - Presented to: Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee and Assembly Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 10

May 29, 2014 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 10 (Scientists). Bargaining Unit 10 is represented by the California Association of Professional Scientists. If adopted, the MOU would modestly increase state costs beginning in 2014-15.

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 13

May 19, 2014 - We reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Bargaining Unit 13 (Stationary Engineers). Bargaining Unit 13 is represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers. If adopted, the MOU would modestly increase state costs beginning in 2014-15.

Handout

Shortfalls in Indian Gaming Funds

May 19, 2014 - Shortfalls in Indian Gaming Funds

Report

Addressing California's Key Liabilities

May 7, 2014 - This report categorizes and provides information about $340 billion in California's key retirement, infrastructure, and budgetary liabilities. In addition, this report provides a framework for the Legislature to consider in prioritizing repayment of these liabilities and makes recommendations on which liabilities to pay down first and how the state could address such costs in the future. In general, we suggest that the Legislature prioritize actions to pay down those liabilities (1) with relatively high interest rates or (2) that result in benefits for groups or entities other than the state government. Due to its massive unfunded liability and relatively high growth rate, we recommend that the Legislature make a full funding plan for the California State Teachers' Retirement System a top priority in addressing the state's key liabilities.

Handout

Authorizing Online Poker in California

April 23, 2014 - Presented to Assembly Government Organization Committee

Handout

Department of Consumer Affairs

March 10, 2014 - Presented to Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee and Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee

Report

The 2014-15 Budget: State Worker Salary, Health Benefit, and Pension Costs

March 4, 2014 - The Governor's budget proposes $24 billion to pay salary and benefit costs for state workers in 2014-15, up from an estimated $23.5 billion in the current year. The increased costs reflect pay increases for most state workers, rising health and pension benefit costs, and a net increase in the number of state workers. In this report, we provide an overview of the state workforce, current collective bargaining agreements, and state employee compensation costs in 2014-15. We also discuss historical trends of state employee compensation costs and state worker take-home pay. We find that over the last two decades, after adjusting for inflation and state worker cost for health and retirement benefits, state worker take-home pay has remained largely flat while state costs per employee have grown significantly. In addition, assuming the number of state workers does not decline significantly, we expect the state's employee compensation costs to increase for the foreseeable future.

Handout

Funding CalSTRS

February 19, 2014 - This presentation to the Assembly Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee describes the likely over-$5 billion annual cost of a plan to fully retire CalSTRS' unfunded liabilities over the next 30 years. The state and school districts likely will bear the majority of these costs. The presentation discusses options the state's leaders may have in developing the plan to address this huge funding problem over the long term.

Other Government Areas Staff
Chas Alamo
(916) 319-8357
Personal Income Tax, Employment, and Labor Law
 
Ross Brown
(916) 319-8345
Property Taxes, Bonds, and the Economy
 
Ann Hollingshead
(916) 319-8305
State Budget and Federal Funding
 
Lourdes Morales
(916) 319-8320
Local Government, Housing, and Homelessness
 
Nick Schroeder
(916) 319-8314
Public Employment, CalPERS, and Elections
 
Angela Short
(916) 319-8309
Teachers' Retirement Policy/ Child Welfare/ Community Care Licensing
 
Jared Sippel
(916) 319-8335
Emergency Services and Business Regulation
 
Seth Kerstein
(916) 319-8365
Sales and Excise Taxes and Demographics