The 2021-22 California Spending Plan: The State Appropriations Limit [Publication Details]

Aug 30, 2021 - This post describes the legislative and administrative decisions regarding the State Appropriations Limit (SAL) in the 2021‑22 budget process.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4449

The 2021-22 California Spending Plan: The State Appropriations Limit

Aug 30, 2021 - The Legislature can use excess revenues in three ways: (1)  appropriate more money for purposes excluded from the state appropriations limit (SAL), (2)  split the excess between additional school and community college district spending and taxpayer rebates, or (3)  lower tax revenues.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4449

Despite Fiscal Forecasting Uncertainties, Multiyear Budget Planning Essential

May 27, 2021 - Prudence dictates that only when baseline projections show operating surpluses (annual revenues exceeding expenditures) can new ongoing commitments or tax reductions be considered. Conversely, if projections indicate a looming structural deficit, the estimates are helpful in functioning as an early warning system.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4443

The 2021-22 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 23, 2021 - Under our estimates, recent gains in revenues —particularly from taxes on higher income earners —would persist and continue to grow close to the historical average rate. (For more discussion of our assumptions, please see: The 2021‑22 Budget: May Revenue Outlook .)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4437

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - If the Legislature wants to make different decisions about this spending (without statutory changes or fund shifts), it can either: (1)  use the funds to make tax rebates and additional payments to schools, (2)  spend on other SAL-excluded purposes, or (3)  use the funds to reduce taxes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - CAC = California Arts Council; CalVet = California Department of Veterans Affairs; CDE = California Department of Education; CDFA = California Department of Food and Agriculture; CDI = California Department of Insurance; CDT = California Department of Technology; SOC = Security Operations Center; IT = information technology; CMD = California Military Department; CPUC = California Public Utilities
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432/6

The 2021-22 Budget: The Governor’s Proposition 2 Proposals

Apr 26, 2021 - Under Proposition  2, the state must continue to deposit funds into the BSA until it reaches a threshold balance of 10  percent of General Fund tax revenue. Once the BSA reaches this threshold, required deposits that would bring the fund above 10  percent of General Fund taxes instead must be spent on infrastructure.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4418

The State Appropriations Limit

Apr 21, 2021 - These are determined by first estimating proceeds of taxes from all state sources and then subtracting exclusions. Determine Proceeds of Taxes. All state proceeds of taxes are included in the limit regardless of their fund source.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4416

Flexible Funding to California in the American Rescue Plan

Mar 23, 2021 - What Kinds of Tax Reductions Are Prohibited? The statutory language appears to prohibit any kind of tax reduction —direct or indirect —if the state accepts all of the fiscal relief funds. (Otherwise, the federal government will reduce the state ’s share of relief funds by the amount of the tax reduction.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4407

The 2021-22 Budget: The Governor’s Suspension Proposal

Jan 29, 2021 - Recent budgets have used funding from Proposition  56, which established a higher tax on tobacco products, to increase provider payments in Medi ‑Cal. If the suspensions went into effect, most of these payment increases would cease.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4328