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41 Publications Found
December 16, 2008 - On November 17, 2008, we reported on the draft scoping plan of the Air Resources Board (ARB) for implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. After reviewing both (1) the response of the ARB (dated November 26, 2008) to the questions we asked about the proposed scoping plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on October 3 of this year and (2) ARB’s response to the peer review of the scoping plan, our office continues to conclude that ARB's economic analysis of the AB 32 scoping plan lacks a sensitivity analysis and fails to lay out an investment pathway for the scoping plan.
November 21, 2008 - We were asked to report on the draft scoping plan of the Air Resources Board (ARB) for implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006 [AB 32, Núñez]). We conclude that (1) the scoping plan’s overall emissions reductions and purported net economic benefit are highly reliant on one measure—the Pavley regulations, (2) the plan’s evaluation of the costs and savings of some recommended measures is inconsistent and incomplete, (3) Macroeconomic modeling results show a slight net economic benefit to the plan, but ARB failed to demonstrate the analytical rigor of its findings, (4) economic analysis played a limited role in development of scoping plan, and (5) despite its prediction of eventual net economic benefit, the scoping plan fails to lay out an investment pathway to reach its goals for GHG emissions levels in 2020.
June 16, 2008 - We analyzed SB 840 (Kuehl), which would establish in California a single-payer health care system and its companion financing mechanism.
January 22, 2008 - We analyzed certain fiscal issues related to the health care reform (HCR) plan currently under consideration by the Legislature. We estimated the fiscal impact of HCR using two different assumptions of premiums: $250 per month per person and $300 per month per person. Under the $250 premium scenario there are sufficient revenues to support the program in the first year of operation (2010-11). However, by the fifth year of the program, annual costs exceed revenues by $300 million. Despite annual costs exceeding revenues in the fifth year, the program still has a positive cumulative fund balance because the collection of tobacco tax and employer fees start before program costs are incurred. Under the $300 premium assumption, costs exceed revenues by $122 million in the first year of operation and this shortfall increases to $1.5 billion by the fifth year of the program. In addition, the fund balance shows a deficit of almost $4 billion by the end of that period, even with the early collection of the tobacco tax and employer fees. In addition to the premium level, we have identified a number of other fiscal risks and uncertainties which could negatively affect the fiscal solvency of the plan by more than an additional $1.5 billion annually.
January 3, 2008 - With the recent Southern California wildfires, there has been significant interest in the programs that are available to help disaster victims. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information on the programs and funds available to deal with state disasters. We provide links to more specific information, such as program eligibility and rules.
August 16, 2005 - We identify the differences between the projections of Medi-Cal Program expenditures recently released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) and those prepared by our office, and shed light on the reasons for those differences.
August 6, 2004 - In a letter to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee dated August 3, 2004, we raise a number of significant concerns about the proposed allocation of state bond and other funds for a conservation-related transaction concerning the Hearst Ranch property in San Luis Obispo County. In particular, we find that the level of resource protection provided by the transaction needs strengthening and greater certainty. We make recommendations to improve the state's oversight of the enforcement of the terms of the transaction to ensure that the state's significant investment is adequately protected in perpetuity.
May 9, 2001 - We estimate that General Fund revenues will be $3.4 billion less than estimated by the Governor for the current and budget years combined. In addition, we discuss the amount of one-time and ongoing spending reductions that would be needed to keep the budget in balance and the fiscal implications of funding Proposition 98 under our updated estimates.
March 13, 2001 - We (a) evaluate the data on electricity supply and demand provided to the committee by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Independent System Operator (ISO) on the summer 2001 electricity outlook, and (b) discuss any actions necessary for the estimates to be achieved.
October 27, 1999 - We outline our concerns with the staff supplemental analysis prepared for the Commission on State Mandates (COSM) October 28, 1999 meeting. This letter is a follow-up to our 10/13/99 analysis in which we reviewed legislative intent related to the special education funding system.