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Economy and Taxes Publications

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Report

Options for Addressing the State's Fiscal Problem

January 1, 1992 - In order to bring revenues and spending into balance on a permanent basis, the Legislature will need to make significant reductions in spending on major programs, as well as reexamine the coverage and structure of the state's tax system. An early start is needed to lay the groundwork for these difficult decisions. The purpose of this document is to provide the Legislature with a variety of spending and revenue options that can begin this process.

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State Spending Plan for 1991-92: The 1991 Budget Act and Related Legislation

September 1, 1991 - This report summarizes the fiscal effect of the 1991 Budget Act (Ch 118/91-AB 222, Vasconcellos) including the effects of major legislation accompanying the budget which were enacted as part of the overall state spending plan for 1991-92.

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The 1991-92 Budget: Perspectives and Issues

February 27, 1991 - (308 pages, 13 MB) As the Legislature faces deliberations on the 1991-92 budget, the combination of underlying structural imbalances and a downturn in the California economy has resulted in an estimated two-year budget funding gap of almost $10 billion. The Governor's Budget seeks to address the budget problem through a combination of proposals to reduce existing state services and increase revenues, and contains a number of "prevention" proposals aimed at reducing the cost of existing services in future years. However, the Governor's budget does not fully address the funding gap and also raises concerns regarding its impacts on health and welfare program users, schools, and other affected groups. Ultimately, the Legislature must craft a plan that balances the need for state services with the need to address the state's underlying structural budget problem.

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Strategies for Addressing The State's Budgetary Imbalance

February 1, 1991 - Strategies for Addressing The State's Budgetary Imbalance

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California's Economic and Demographic Environment

February 1, 1991 - California's Economic and Demographic Environment

Report

Revenue Options for the 1990-91 Budget

June 6, 1990 - This document provides a review of 14 revenue options that could be put into effect for the 1990-91 fiscal year. It was prepared at the request of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, in order to assist the Committee's review of its fiscal choices for the 1990-91 Budget.

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The 1990-91 Budget: Perspectives and Issues

February 1, 1990 - (360 pages, 16MB) The 1990-91 Governor's Budget reflects two main constraints: first, the state's economy is expected to grow at a moderate pace, limiting the resources available to fund state spending requirements, and second, past state policy dictates the allocation of available resources. The administration’s budget offers as a starting point a set of policy choices that only partially accepts these dual constraints. While the budget recognizes the need to restrain state expenditure growth to the level of available resources, it proposes changes in existing policies as to how those resources are 'allocated. In part, this reflects the administration's preferences as to how the state's money should be spent. Over the next four months, the Legislature and the administration will attempt to reconcile their preferences in developing a state budget for 1990-91. However, changes in the economy and in the state's past policy choices also may influence the budget that is ultimately signed into law. Here we review the state's fiscal condition, the major areas where de-mand for state services is outstripping its ability to provide them, and the extent to which the state's existing revenue base is capable of supporting the delivery of existing and additional state services. Finally, we provide a brief examination of the strategies proposed in the Governor's Budget for resolving the state's fiscal dilemma.

Report

The 1989-90 Budget: Perspectives and Issues

February 22, 1989 - In beginning its work on the state budget for 1989-90, the Legislature faces the most adverse set of fiscal circumstances it has faced since the recession of 1981-82. The state’s budget reserve has been completely depleted, and a deficit in the current-year's budget appears likely. At current levels of service, expenditure requirements for 1989-90 will exceed projected revenue growth by at least $500 million, and the full restoration of the state's reserve fund would require another $1.1 billion. This fiscal situation has come about despite the continued strength of the California economy. The state government faces a number of challenges. Here, we review the challenges facing the Legislature and the state; review the state's fiscal condition, the major areas where demand for state ser-vices is outstripping its ability to provide them, and the extent to which the state's exist-ing revenue base is capable of supporting the delivery of existing and additional state services; and provide an examination of the strategies proposed.

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Accommodating California's Growth

February 1, 1989 - Accommodating California's Growth

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How Reliable Is the Economic Forecast?

February 1, 1989 - How Reliable Is the Economic Forecast?

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Report on the 1988-89 Tax Expenditure Budget: Overview and Selected Reviews

December 1, 1988 - The purpose of this report is to provide information which will assist the Legislature in reviewing the state's tax expenditure budget, including making decisions regarding which individual TEPs should be retained, renewed, modified, or eliminated.

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A Perspective on the California Economy

December 1, 1988 - The purpose of this report is to provide the Legislature with an overview of the California economy, including information that will assist it in making decisions that will affect the economy's future health and thus the quality of life in California.

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The 1988-89 Budget: Perspectives and Issues

February 1, 1988 - (227 pages, 7.5 MB) The Governor's Budget for 1988-89 anticipates continued moderate growth in the California economy, and projects that revenue collections will be sufficient to fund normal workload increases and statutory requirements, as well as provide funds to address certain other state priorities. As in recent years, the proposed revenues and expenditures would leave the state with an unrestricted reserve of about $1 billion. The budget indicates that the projected level of state revenues will place the state $24 million below its appropriations limit for 1988-89. Here, we provide an overview of the condition of the General Fund in the current and budget years. We also discuss reasons for changes in the state's fiscal outlook since the last Governor's Budget and presents some highlights of the 1988-89 budget.

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The Impact of Demographic Changes on California

February 1, 1988 - The Impact of Demographic Changes on California

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Analysis of the 1987-88 Tax Expenditure Budget

January 1, 1988 - The objective of this report is to provide the Legislature with information which will enable it to subject tax expenditure programs to the same ongoing scrutiny that direct expenditure programs receive, thereby facilitating the development of proposals to renew, modify, or delete individual tax expenditure programs in conjunction with the regular budget process.

Economy and Taxes 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, Elections, Veterans Affairs
 
Bidusha Mudbhari
(916) 319-8363
Corporation Tax and Economic Development
 
Brian Uhler
(916) 319-8328
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Economy, Taxes, and Labor
 
Seth Kerstein
(916) 319-8365
Sales and Excise Taxes and Demographics