Other Government Areas Publications

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Report

Overview of the 2008-09 May Revision

May 19, 2008 - The state faces a remaining budget shortfall of $15 billion, after accounting for the $7 billion in solutions adopted as part of the special session. We have updated our LAO alternative budget, which remains balanced through our forecast period, to reflect the state’s worsening fiscal situation. Our plan includes a more responsible lottery securitization—resulting in a General Fund benefit of $5.6 billion over two years—with a dramatically reduced risk to education’s lottery funding. Finally, we offer some much simpler approaches to increasing the size of the state’s reserve in good fiscal times.

Handout

A Budget Update

April 24, 2008 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee

Handout

Recent Proposals for CalSTRS Purchasing Power Benefits

April 22, 2008 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration

Handout

Recent Proposals for CalSTRS Purchasing Power Benefits

April 7, 2008 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration

Handout

Recent Proposals Concerning the California Lottery

March 11, 2008 - Presented to Senate Governmental Organization Committee

Report

Analysis of the 2008-09 Budget Bill, General Government Chapter

February 20, 2008 - Analysis of the 2008-09 Budget Bill, General Government Chapter

Report

Under New Compacts, Special Distribution Fund Can Directly Affect the General Fund

February 20, 2008 - We describe how the passage of five 2007 Indian gambling compacts will affect the state’s General Fund and the Special Distribution Fund. We recommend that the Legislature take action to improve the state’s General Fund condition.

Report

Legislative Considerations Regarding Changes to the Lottery

February 20, 2008 - The Governor has proposed leasing the California Lottery to a private concessionaire to improve its sales and generate funds for public purposes. The administration’s estimate that such a transaction could generate $37 billion is unrealistic. We recommend that the Legislature continue to explore methods to improve the performance of the Lottery.

Report

Vacant Positions

February 20, 2008 - About 14 percent of state employee positions are vacant. In this piece, we discuss the factors that cause high vacancy levels. We recommend repealing an ineffective state law that purports to abolish vacant positions. In its place, we offer the Legislature some options to hold departments accountable for high vacancy rates.

Report

Correctional Officer Pay, Benefits, and Labor Relations

February 7, 2008 - The administration proposes a 5 percent raise for correctional officers and legislation to allow it to impose a labor settlement on the officers’ union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA). We find that the officers’ compensation levels are sufficient to allow the prisons to meet personnel needs at the present time, but we generally agree with other administration proposals to increase management control in prisons. We note that the dysfunctional relationship between the administration and CCPOA makes it more difficult to address the many issues facing the state’s prison and personnel management systems.

Handout

Comments on the Administration's Cash Management Proposals

January 22, 2008 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Denise Moreno Ducheny, Chair

Report

California’s First Retiree Health Valuation: Questions and Answers

May 9, 2007 - The Legislature required the Controller to contract with actuaries for California's first valuation of unfunded state retiree health liabilities. On May 7, 2007, the Controller reported that the state's estimated unfunded liabilities total $48 billion. This report answers key questions concerning the valuation and identifies actions the Legislature could take to address the state's liabilities.

Handout

Fish and Game Warden Staffing and Compensation

May 8, 2007 - Presented to Assembly and Senate Budget Committees

Presentation

Retiree Health Benefits Presentation: Background and Policy Principles

April 26, 2007 - Presented to the Public Employees Post-Employment Benefits Commission

Report

Legislative Oversight of State Employee Compensation

February 21, 2007 - We focus on the process for setting compensation and recommend the Legislature improve the state’s employee compensation policies. Our recommendations are geared toward the Legislature focusing state employee compensation expenditures within the context of a balanced budget. Among our recommendations are for the Legislature to (1) limit the authority of arbitrators to order large payments under their interpretation of future labor agreements and (2) end the use of automatic pay raise formulas tied to actions by other governmental employers.

Other Government Areas Staff
Chas Alamo
(916) 319-8357
Personal Income Tax, Employment, and Labor Law
 
Ann Hollingshead
(916) 319-8305
State Budget and Federal Funding
 
Lourdes Morales
(916) 319-8320
Local Government
 
Jessica Peters
(916) 319-8363
Emergency Services and Business Regulation
 
Nick Schroeder
(916) 319-8314
Public Employment, CalPERS, and Elections
 
Brian Weatherford
(916) 319-8337
Corporation Tax and Insurance
 
Angela Short
(916) 319-8309
Teachers' Retirement Policy/ Child Welfare/ Community Care Licensing
 
Seth Kerstein
(916) 319-8365
Sales and Excise Taxes and Demographics