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4,622 Publications Found
November 14, 2003 - According to our projections, the state is facing a year-end shortfall of $10.2 billion in 2004-05 assuming the vehicle license fee (VLF) rate increase remains in effect, and substantially more if the rate is rolled back and the state resumes backfill payments to localities. Over the longer term, absent corrective actions, the state faces annual current-law operating deficits that remain over $9 billion through the end of the forecast period—and $14 billion if the VLF rate is rolled back.
November 12, 2003 - Current state standards for utilization of higher education instructional facilities can be simplified and made more flexible. We recommend restating these standards on the basis of "annual hours of station use per year." This would both simplify the standards and accommodate year-round operation.
October 24, 2003 - Chapter 421, Statutes of 2001 (AB 1402, Simitian) authorizes school districts to enter into "design-build" contracts for specified construction projects and to submit specific information about these projects to the LAO upon completion of construction. This interim report describes the design-build process and reports that, thus far, no districts have reported to the LAO that they are using the design-build authorization provided by Chapter 421.
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 22, 2003 - Presented to the Assembly Select Committee on Information Technology and the High-Tech Workforce
July 16, 2003 - Presented to the Senate Select Committee on Fiscal Restructuring
July 14, 2003 - Charter schools generally do as well as traditional public schools in fostering reading and mathematics achievement even though they receive fewer state funds and employ fewer teachers with full state credentials, according to a report prepared by RAND. The LAO contracted with RAND to perform this evaluation, which was required by Chapter 34, Statutes of 1998 (AB 544, Lempert). See http://www.lao.ca.gov/2003/RAND_charter/053003_RAND_Charter_Schools.pdf for the full report (1.3 MB) and http://www.lao.ca.gov2003/RAND_charter/surveys.pdf for the surveys (42 MB).
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 28, 2003 - Presented to Assembly Special Committee on State Mandates on May 28, 2003.
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.