Part "D" Stands for "Deficit": How the Medicare Drug Benefit Affects Medi-Cal [Publication Details]

Mar 15, 2005 - The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act, also referred to as the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) makes significant changes to the federal Medicare program. The implementation of the Medicare drug benefit component of MMA, known as Part D, is likely to cause significant net financial losses to the state for years and have other major programmatic impacts on Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1282

Charter Schools [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - Charter Schools [Publication Details] HTML Description: Ever since it was first implemented in 1999-00, we have had concerns with the calculation of the charter school categorical block grant funding level.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1279

Proposition 49—Recommend Repeal [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - Proposition 49—Recommend Repeal [Publication Details] HTML Description: We recommend the Legislature enact legislation placing before the voters a repeal of Proposition 49 because (1) it triggers an autopilot augmentation even though the state is facing a structural budget gap of billions of dollars, (2) the additional spending on after school programs is a lower budget priority
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1280

Misleading Caltrans Budget Weakens Legislative Oversight [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - The budget displays transportation funds inconsistently, making it impossible to determine Caltrans’ total expenditures in a given year or to accurately compare different years. Legislative oversight is severely hampered by these inconsistent displays. We recommend the enactment of legislation requiring transportation expenditures to be displayed according to standard budget display requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1267

Cost Shift to Teacher Retirement Costs Raises Short-Term and Long-Term Issues [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - The Governor proposes shifting $469 million in General Fund teacher retirement costs to school districts and/or schools. Due to current law requirements, it is likely that the proposal would require a $469 million upward “rebenching” of Proposition 98’s minimum guarantee—nullifying the proposed General Fund savings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1270

Fire Protection Budget Issues [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - We also recommend the deletion of $9 million from the General Fund proposed for year-round firefighting staffing in Southern California because the proposal has not been justified. Finally, we recommend a number of actions to improve legislative oversight over CDFFP’s receipt and use of unanticipated federal funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1255

Court Requires Further Improvements in Inmate Health Care [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - In September 2004, a federal court issued an order requiring further improvements in CDC’s inmate health care delivery system. We believe the Governor’s budget year proposal is consistent with the court order.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1258

Proposition 98 Budget Priorities [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - This proposal would create $2.3 billion in General Fund savings over the two years. While the Governor’s 2005-06 spending plan for K-14 grows by $2.9 billion, it does not include funding to cover all K-14 operating expenses that districts would incur under the budget proposal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1273

Resources Bonds: Getting Funds Out-the-Door [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - We find that there are significant amounts of resources bond funds that were appropriated in the current and prior years that have not been expended. We also find that delays persist in getting funds out-the door and that there has been a lack of demand for the specified use of some bond funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1253

Doubling the Size of the Gambling Commission Not Justified [Publication Details]

Feb 24, 2005 - The budget proposes an augmentation of $4.8 million and 46 two-year limited-term positions for increased regulatory activities related to tribal gambling. The request would double the size of the California Gambling Control Commission.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1271