Other Government Areas Publications

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Hearing Handout

Pending Proposal Concerning Highway Patrol Officer Retiree Health Benefits Funding

September 2, 2009 - On August 27, 2009, the administration presented to the Legislature a proposed addendum to the existing state employee labor agreement with Bargaining Unit 5 (California Highway Patrol [CHP] Officers). The proposal would amend the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act and increase state budgetary costs in some future years. This letter provides our office’s analysis of the proposal, similar to the analysis we routinely provide the JLBC with proposed labor agreements.

Post

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Units 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 15, 17, 20, and 21 (SEIU Local 1000)

March 6, 2009 - We review the administration's proposed labor agreements with SEIU Local 1000, the largest state employee union. The administration estimates that the state's net savings under the proposed agreements would be $337 million ($156 million General Fund) between now and June 2010--compared to costs negotiated in prior Local 1000 MOUs. We also discuss two alternate ways to view the costs of the proposed agreements--compared to costs under the Governor's previous two-day-per-month furlough plan and compared to costs included in the February budget package. The proposed agreements represent a cost increase for the state under both of these alternate methods.

Hearing Handout

Informational: Comparison of Workforce Investment Act Discretionary Fund Expenditure Plans

June 13, 2008 - Item 7100-001-0869 of the 2008 Budget Conference Committee (page 374).

Hearing Handout

Informational: Recommended Supplemental Report Language For Labor Code 2810

June 13, 2008 - Item 7350-001-0001 of the 2008 Budget Conference Committee (page 378).

Hearing Handout

LAO Compromise: Pre-Assistance Employment Readiness System

June 13, 2008 - LAO compromise for Item 5180-101-000 of the 2008 Budget Conference Committee (page 295).

Hearing Handout

LAO Compromise: CalSTRS Purchasing Power Benefits

June 10, 2008 - LAO compromise for Item 1920 of the 2008 Budget Conference Committee (page 89).

Hearing Handout

Recent Proposals for CalSTRS Purchasing Power Benefits

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

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.

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.

Hearing 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.

Report

Employee Compensation in 2007-08: Prison Pay Surges

February 21, 2007 - The Governor’s budget would increase state employee compensation costs by an estimated $1.2 billion in 2007-08. Item 9800 includes $972 million ($468 million General Fund) of this amount. The remainder is included in departmental budgets--principally the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The vast majority of the funds address costs related to current labor agreements, court orders, and arbitration decisions.

Report

Reject Plan to Guarantee Teacher Benefit

February 21, 2007 - We recommend that the Legislature reject the administration’s proposed trailer bill language to (1) guarantee teachers’ purchasing power benefits through California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) and (2) reduce General Fund costs by $75 million in 2007-08. There are risks in assuming that the change proposed in the budget package will generate near-term and ongoing budget savings, and we are concerned about the idea of the state guaranteeing another benefit through CalSTRS, which serves employees of local districts. We do suggest, however, that such a proposal in the context of a future comprehensive reform would warrant consideration by the Legislature.

Other Government Areas Staff
Chas Alamo
(916) 319-8357
Employment, Labor Law, and Property Taxes
 
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
 
Justin Garosi
(916) 319-8359
Personal Income Tax
 
Seth Kerstein
(916) 319-8365
Sales and Excise Taxes and Demographics