The 2026-27 Budget: How to Use One-Time Revenue Improvements

Feb 20, 2026 - Although the state faces significant cost pressures due to reductions in federal funding, using one-time resources to backfill those ongoing reductions would put the state on even worse fiscal footing going forward.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5133

The 2026-27 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 12, 2026 - In this report, we offer an alternative approach for the Legislature to take that would put the state on better fiscal footing. Ultimately, this approach includes: adopting LAO revenue estimates, tackling the resulting budget problem, and shrinking multiyear deficits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101

The 2017-18 Budget: California Highway Patrol

Feb 9, 2017 - The proposed facility would be 24,538 square feet (19,184 square feet of office space and a 5,354 square foot auto shop), or roughly six times the size of the existing 4,006 office that opened in 1967.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3551

The 2024-25 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 23, 2024 - The May Revision puts the state on better fiscal footing and makes substantial progress toward structural balance. By pulling back substantially on one-time and temporary spending, as well as making some ongoing reductions, the Governor ’s May Revision shrinks the state ’s projected deficits from around $30  billion (our December 2023 estimates) to an average of less than $10  billion (our estimates today).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4907

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

May 17, 2025 - We recommend the Legislature address the budget shortfall with a similar approach that the administration took, namely adopting solutions that primarily put the state on more solid fiscal footing, rather than those that delay or exacerbate future problems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5044

COVID-19 and California’s Evolving Fiscal Outlook

Mar 18, 2020 - That said, the state goes into this period on strong fiscal footing with significant budget reserves. These reserves could help the state respond to the emergency and, if necessary, help address budget shortfalls once the extent of fiscal fallout from the economic effect of the virus is known.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4203

The 2025-26 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - Over the coming months, if California ’s labor market and consumers begin to show signs of a broadening recovery, the state ’s fiscal position is likely to be on better footing. It remains to be seen whether this will occur, but there are some conceivable paths toward broader improvements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4939

The 2019-20 Budget: Structuring the Budget: Reserves, Debt and Liabilities

Feb 5, 2019 - Governor ’s Proposals Put the State on Better Fiscal Footing. The Governor ’s plan to improve the budget ’s fiscal position largely is based on a roughly $ 11  b illion plan to pay down retirement liabilities and budgetary borrowing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3925

Strong Tax Collections Belie California's Challenging Fiscal Outlook

Apr 26, 2022 - First, rejecting the spending would constrain growth of the state ’s spending base, putting it on more solid fiscal footing for whatever economic conditions the future holds. Second, by saving the unspent funds, the state would have resources on hand to help fund the expected SAL requirements or, alternatively, cover a recession-driven budget problem.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4590

The 2024-25 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2024 - Proposed Budget Structure Puts the State on Better Fiscal Footing. The overall structure of the Governor ’s May Revision improves the fiscal health of the state in a number of ways. First, by proposing the state use less in reserves, the Governor preserves an important tool to address budget problems, which are likely to continue to emerge.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4902