Early Release of Elderly Inmates [Publication Details]

Feb 19, 2003 - Elderly inmates are two to three times as costly to incarcerate in state prison as younger inmates. Yet, research shows they are less likely to reoffend and have greater success on parole. For these reasons, we recommend the Legislature adopt legislation requiring that nonviolent elderly inmates be released early to parole.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/964

Assessments [Publication Details]

Feb 19, 2003 - We identify several areas where the Legislature could reduce the assessment burden on school districts while maintaining the state's emphasis on academic content and performance standards: the NRT portion of the STAR program, the primary language test, the Golden State Exams, and the physical fitness test.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/975

State Retirement Contributions [Publication Details]

Feb 19, 2003 - State Retirement Contributions [Publication Details] Translate Our Website This Google ™ translation feature provided on the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) website is for informational purposes only.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/985

Oversight of Electricity Contract Settlement Funds [Publication Details]

Feb 19, 2003 - The state has received cash and assets from settlements resulting from the renegotiation of energy contracts entered into by the state during the "energy crisis." Future settlements are also likely. We recommend that the Legislature hold hearings to consider uses for the settlement funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/956

Vacant Positions [Publication Details]

Feb 19, 2003 - Recently, the Legislature has taken various steps, through budget control sections, to reduce the number of vacant positions in state government. We found that the Department of Finance (DOF) has provided most of the information requested. We recommend that DOF provide updated information.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/987

A Primer: Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11 [Publication Details]

Feb 5, 2003 - Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11, which will appear on the March 2004 statewide ballot, would establish the California Twenty-First Century Infrastructure Investment Fund, a dedicated financing source for state and local infrastructure projects. We provide background on state capital outlay planning and funding, explain how the measure works, and describe the measure's potential fiscal impact.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/926

Lease-Leaseback Transactions by Public Transit Districts--Sales and Use Tax Exemption [Publication Details]

Jan 28, 2003 - The Sales and Use Tax exclusion granted through Chapter 592 is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2004. Based on our examination of the impact of this exemption on state and local governments, we believe that a strong case can be made for removing the sunset and allowing the exclusion to continue
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/921

Get $mart: Reforming the State’s Equipment Financing Program [Publication Details]

Jan 28, 2003 - The Department of General Services' (DGS) GS $Mart Program has been used to finance $521 million in state equipment purchases over the past seven years. We find that DGS has demonstrated initiative in developing this innovative program but that the program has significant deficiencies, including a lack of statutory authority.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/923

Overview of the 2003-04 Governor's Budget [Publication Details]

Jan 15, 2003 - On January 10, the Governor released a plan for addressing his projected $34.6 billion General Fund budget shortfall. Although this shortfall estimate and the level of required solutions is somewhat overstated, the problem is still enormous. The Legislature faces a formidable task in carefully evaluating the plan's individual elements and the many important policy issues it raises.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/919

Analysis of Mid-Year Budget Proposal [Publication Details]

Dec 16, 2002 - The Governor recently released his current-year plan for partially addressing the state's enormous budget shortfall. The plan calls for $10.2 billion in budgetary reductions and adjustments. We discuss the Governor's proposal, consider its general viability, and identify additional options available to the Legislature.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/917