The 2020-21 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2019 - We find the state has: Ongoing Surplus of $3   Billion Under Baseline Expenditure Scenario. In our baseline expenditure scenario, we find the state has an ongoing surplus of around $ 3  b illion. Importantly, this scenario assumes the federal government approves the managed care organization (MCO) tax and the state faces no major disasters over the next few years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4111

Weekly Unemployment Claims Update: September 20 - September 26 [EconTax Blog]

Oct 2, 2020 - Benefit payments from the federal Lost Wages Assistance program, which allows states to temporarily increase weekly benefits by $300, were paid out for the third time last week. The state distributed roughly $900 million in federal benefits under this program during the week ending September 26.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/555

Weekly Unemployment Claims Update: April 12-April 18 [EconTax Blog]

Apr 23, 2020 - Level of Claims in California in the Middle of the Pack Among Large States. Over the last three weeks California has processed about 3.4 million unemployment claims. These claims represent about 17 percent of the state ’s workforce.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/457

^[PDF] Although these public employees perform a variety of jobs

Although these public employees perform a variety of jobs across the state and receive varying levels of total compensation, they often receive a compensation package that consists of (1) salary, (2) health benefits for active employees and their eligible dependents, and (3) retirement benefits (often including pension and retiree health benefits).
https://lao.ca.gov/letters/2022/Cooley-Cunningham-CalCare-031722.pdf

Weekly Unemployment Claims Update: September 27 - October 3 [EconTax Blog]

Oct 9, 2020 - Benefit payments from the federal Lost Wages Assistance program, which allows states to temporarily increase weekly benefits by $300, were paid out for the fourth and fifth time last week. As shown in the figure, the state distributed roughly $1.5 billion in federal benefits under this program during the week ending October 3.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/560

Proposed statutory initiative related to psilocybin. [Ballot]

Nov 12, 2019 - Reduction in Various State and Local Costs. The measure would reduce costs to the state and local governments by reducing the number of psilocybin offenders incarcerated in state prison and county jail, as well as the number placed under community supervision (such as county probation).
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2019-016

Building Permits Update: June 2020 [EconTax Blog]

Aug 4, 2020 - While this was the most permits the state has recorded since March, it was the lowest June total since 2014, showing the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The multifamily housing permit total of 2,745 was the lowest figure yet in 2020 and less than half the June average over the previous five years.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/512

Weekly Unemployment Claims Update: April 5-April 11 [EconTax Blog]

Apr 16, 2020 - Level of Claims in California in the Middle of the Pack Among Large States. Over the last three weeks California has processed about 2.8 million unemployment claims. These claims represent about 16 percent of the state ’s workforce.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/452

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Feb 14, 2020 - What Are the State ’s Priorities for Improving County Performance? Given the complexity of Medi ‑Cal administration and the number of issues identified in state audits, counties might not be able to improve their performance on the full array of state standards all at once.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4161

Weekly Unemployment Claims Update: March 29-April 4 [EconTax Blog]

Apr 9, 2020 - Level of Claims in California in the Middle of the Pack Among Large States. Over the last three weeks California has processed about 2.2 million unemployment claims. These claims represent about 12.5 percent of the state ’s workforce.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/449