California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - These challenges would not be short-lived either. After the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, it took four and five years, respectively, for revenues to recover. Incorporating revenue risk into the budget now, therefore, reflects prudence, not pessimism.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2020-21 Budget: Proposition 2 Debt Payment Proposals

Mar 10, 2020 - For example, this would occur if health costs increase faster, retirees live longer, or investment returns are lower than actuaries had assumed when they calculated normal cost. These estimates also tend to be subject to a greater range of uncertainty compared to pension benefits, for example, because health care costs can grow unpredictably.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4196

Cal Facts: 2016

Dec 5, 2016 - State Aims to Reduce Reliance on Costly Group Home Foster Care Placements While foster children living in family settings outnumber foster children living in group homes by approximately 9  to  1, total spending (all funds) is split roughly equally between the two groups.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3511/3

The 2018-19 Budget: California Spending Plan (Final Version)

Oct 2, 2018 - Future Cost ‑Of ‑Living Adjustments May Be Provided. The budget includes language that would adjust the CalWORKs grant based on annual changes to the cost of living, as measured by the California Necessities Index, beginning July  1, 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3870/7

The 2023-24 Budget: Considering Inflation's Effects on State Programs

Nov 16, 2022 - As  a  result, we  can say that the “real ” value of the state ’s dollar h as declined 10 percent. Lowers Quantity of Services. One of the most common impacts of elevated inflation for spending programs is a reduction in the quantity of state services provided.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4647

Federal Spending in California

Jan 18, 2017 - Postal Service employees) who live in California. The federal government paid an additional $10.3 bi llion in wages and salaries to members of the armed forces (including Coast Guard employees) and the Reserves (including the National Guard).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3531/3

The 2025-26 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor's May Revision

May 17, 2025 - As we discuss later in this brief, the May Revision maintains a cost ‑of ‑living adjustment (COLA) and other spending increases for schools and community colleges despite the drop in funding. Baseline Spending Higher by $12   Billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5044

The State Appropriations Limit [Publication Details]

Apr 12, 2000 - The State Appropriations Limit [Publication Details] HTML Description: California's state appropriations limit (SAL)--which grows annually by a population and cost-of-living factor--places an "upper bound" each year on the amount of monies that can be spent from state tax proceeds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/719

The 2019-20 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 14, 2018 - To be clear, this means we: Assume Cost ‑of ‑Living Increases Remain in Place. Consistent with recent practice, we have assumed a variety of programs receive cost ‑of ‑living adjustments across the period.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3896

The 2022-23 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 17, 2021 - The Legislature could increase funding for the community colleges by providing more unrestricted funding, more restricted funding for specified purposes, or more support directly to students to address living costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4473