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February 19, 2003 - Various budget proposals to expend Proposition 50 bond funds for water-related activities lack sufficient detail to justify approval. We recommend that the funding instead be put in legislation that defines the programs and guides their implementation.
February 19, 2003 - The state uses a variety of special and bond funds to support the departments, conservancies, boards, and programs under the Resources Agency that regulate and manage the state's natural resources. We provide a status report on selected special funds and bond funds supporting these programs.
February 19, 2003 - Environmental Protection Indicators for California (EPIC) track changes that are taking place in the environment. We recommend the enactment of legislation to guide EPIC and to ensure that data generated by it is sufficiently linked to the budget development process.
February 19, 2003 - In recent years, the Caltrans has consistently rescheduled the delivery of many State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) projects to later years. This reduces the value of the STIP as a scheduling tool and renders Caltrans' annual capital outlay and capital outlay support budgets meaningless. We recommend that Caltrans and CTC report on the reasons for the high levels of project rescheduling. We further recommend budget bill language requiring CTC to identify in its next annual report strategies to reduce this level of rescheduling.
February 19, 2003 - The Motor Vehicle Account (MVA), which primarily funds the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and DMV, faces a significant deficit in the budget year without corrective actions. In order to ensure that the MVA remains in a healthy fiscal condition, the Legislature will have to either increase fees further or reduce expenditures for the departments it supports.
February 19, 2003 - The Governor's proposal to use about $1.7 billion in transportation funds to aid the General Fund would delay projects in the Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP) and makes the program's future funding uncertain. We recommend that the Legislature act quickly and decisively to determine the state's funding commitment to the program.
February 19, 2003 - We identify factors to weigh in considering which programs would benefit from realignment. Using these factors, we identify $9.1 billion in programs meriting consideration: $5.1 billion of programs proposed by the administration and $4 billion of programs suggested by our office. Because realignment plans are difficult to modify over time, we recommend the Legislature take a long-term view in enacting program and funding changes.
February 19, 2003 - The Governor is proposing an $8.3 billion total tax increase to fund his realignment program and reduce the General Fund's budget shortfall. This proposal would raise the sales and use tax by one percentage point ($4.6 billion), establish 10 percent and 11 percent high-income tax brackets ($2.6 billion), and raise the cigarette tax by $1.10 per pack ($1.2 billion).
February 19, 2003 - California faces an unprecedented budget shortfall--roughly one-third of the General Fund budget-- due to an unexpected dramatic decline in state tax receipts combined with ongoing increases in state government costs. The Governor's budget proposal, would eliminate the while its large amount of ongoing savings would also address California's long-term structural imbalance.
February 19, 2003 - The United States and California economies continue to struggle in early 2003, due primarily to restrained hiring and investment pending by businesses. We assume that stronger economic growth will resume in the second half of 2003
February 19, 2003 - We estimate that revenues will exceed the budget forecast by a net of $1.3 billion in 2002-03 and 2003-04 combined. Our higher estimate assumes a somewhat earlier and stronger economic recovery than does the administration.