The 2026-27 Budget: Re-Envisioning State Education Governance

Mar 18, 2026 - Introduction California operates the nation ’s largest public school system, comprising 937 school districts, 1,257 charter schools, and 58 county offices of education. This year, these local agencies will educate nearly 5.8  million students, employ around 700,000 teachers and staff, and spend nearly $150  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 18, 2026 - These include (1)  a proposal to eliminate the IHSS Permanent Back ‑Up Provider Program (estimated to save $3.5  million in 2026 ‑27 and on ‑going), (2)  a proposal to align IHSS eligibility time lines with Medi ‑Cal (estimated to save $86  million in 2026 ‑27 and on ‑going), and (3)  a proposal to remove the state ’s share of cost associated with any growth in IHSS hours per
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5166

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

The 2026-27 Budget: Streamlining California’s Affordable Housing Funding System

Mar 6, 2026 - The amount of private activity bonds CDLAC has designated for affordable rental housing in recent years has varied somewhat —from a high of 93   percent to a low of 86   percent. We find that designating the vast majority of private activity bonds for this purpose, as CDLAC has done, is consistent with good public policy given (1)  the state ’s priority to support more affordable housing and that (2)  doing so unlocks federal funding via the 4   percent tax credits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5154

The 2026-27 Budget: California Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - Based on February 2026 estimates from the Chancellor ’s Office, 34 districts are receiving their SCFF ‑calculated amounts in 2025 ‑26, 25  districts are on stability (receiving a combined $76  million in apportionment funding above their SCFF ‑calculated amounts), and 13 districts are on hold harmless (receiving a combined $86  million above their SCFF ‑calculated amounts).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150

The 2026-27 Budget: California State University

Feb 24, 2026 - The total marginal cost (state and student shares combined) of increasing resident undergraduate enrollment by 1  percent in 2026 ‑27 is $58  million. Provide more funding for student financial aid. Specifically, CSU plans to designate $67  million for this purpose.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5142

The 2026-27 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 23, 2026 - For example, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information in 2022 estimated that there would be a shortage of psychiatrists and behavioral health providers in all 58 California counties by 2025, with 27 prisons located in counties experiencing high or severe shortages.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Elimination of State Environmental Positions

Feb 17, 2026 - Figure 2 JLBC Did Not Concur With Elimination of 349 Environmental Positions Department Residual Positions Subject to Legislative Review Position Eliminations With Which JLBC Did Not Concur Departmental Review State Water Resources Control Board 86 SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission — Note:  Numbers  may  not  add  due to rounding.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - The judicial branch currently manages around 430 facilities across all 58 counties. Its facility program is responsible for various activities including maintaining these facilities, managing leases, and constructing new courthouses to replace outdated facilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113