The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Spending Plan

Oct 16, 2025 - During the special session, the Legislature added Control Sections 90.00 and 90.01 to the 2024 ‑25 Budget Act providing up to $2.5  billion one ‑time for response and recovery costs related to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5079

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - The added risk variable weighs on the range of revenue outcomes that we view as most plausible. The middle of the range, which becomes our main revenue forecast, is thus lower than if we did not include the stock market risk indicator.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Sep 23, 2021 - Finally, CDT’s Infrastructure/Platform Transformation Program will identify and remediate infrastructure and platform stability issues not addressed by the department’s Service Transformation Program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4452

California's Legislative Analyst's Office and the Value of Independence

Nov 15, 2024 - As such, our independent fiscal assessment underlies the Legislature ’s ability to assert an informed check on the executive branch, making any added complexity from diverging estimates a worthwhile trade-off.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4938

LAO Alternative Budget Overview [Publication Details]

Feb 20, 2008 - By making more targeted reductions; eliminating or modifying ineffectiveness or nonessential programs; and adding ongoing revenue solutions, we believe this approach offers the Legislature a better foundation to begin crafting a 2008-09 budget that focuses on essential services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/1768

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

May 17, 2025 - Finally, although we have not previously recommended the Leg islature take decisive action to address the structural deficits, the state ’s persistent fiscal imbalance and the added downside risks —particularly from potential federal actions —suggest a need for a more proactive approach.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5044

The 2025-26 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - Outside of government and health care, the state has added no jobs in a year and a half. Similarly, the number of Californians who are unemployed is 25  percent higher than during the strong labor markets of 2019 and 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4939

The 2019-20 Budget: Proposition 98 Outlook

Nov 14, 2018 - Community colleges also are prioritizing adding faculty. College districts had about 36,000 FTE faculty (tenured and temporary) in 2017 ‑18, an increase of about 2,100 (6. 3  p ercent) over the 2012 ‑ 13 l evel.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3897

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

Oct 2, 2018 - The budget provides $ 19  m illion to annualize the cost of 2, 959 p reschool slots added April 1, 2018. The budget also provides $ 8  m illion for 2, 959 n ew full ‑day State Preschool slots at LEAs starting April  1, 2019.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3870/4

The 2019-20 May Revision: Opportunity Zones

May 11, 2019 - This added complexity could create increased administrative burdens for builders, lenders, and government agencies tasked with funding affordable housing. Added complexity also could open the possibility of unintended consequences or misuse of funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4038