Building Reserves to Prepare for a Recession

Mar 7, 2018 - The state used proceeds from the sale of long ‑term electricity bonds to finance $11. 2  b illion in these costs. (Electricity ratepayers, rather than General Fund taxpayers, repaid these bonds financed by a surcharge on electricity bills.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3769

The 2018-19 May Revision: LAO Economic Outlook

May 12, 2018 - The typical PE ratio since 1990 is 21 (19 if the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s and early 2000s is excluded). Similar to the price-to-earnings ratio, the home price-to-rent ratio is used to gauge if home prices are in line with underlying demand for housing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3829

Managing California’s Cash

Sep 3, 2019 - After a period of relative calm in the mid ‑ and late ‑1990s, California faced another series of years with acute budget problems following the dot ‑com bust and ensuing recession. Although the dot ‑com bust was relatively mild in economic terms, it hit the California budget —which is particularly reliant on the Bay Area ’s technology sector —especially hard.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4092

The 2019-20 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 14, 2019 - Figure 4 Summary of Governor ’s Disaster ‑Related Proposals for 2019 ‑20 ( In Millions)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3916

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - During the phase ‑in period, the state also entered the dot ‑com recession. These two cost pressures absorbed the remaining flexibility in the state ’s UI tax system. As  shown in Figure  4 , the state began this period in Schedule C but quickly moved to Schedule F+, the highest tax schedule, where it has remained since.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

Annual Report on Tax Exemptions for Medicinal Cannabis

Jun 24, 2025 - Chapter  837 of 2019 (SB  34, Wiener) established new tax exemptions for donations of medicinal cannabis. The law directs our office to submit an annual report containing data on three outcomes related to the exemptions: the number of medicinal cannabis patients served, the amount of medicinal cannabis products donated, and the amount of tax revenue lost.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5059

Local Sales Tax Rebates in 2023-24

Sep 16, 2025 - In 2019, the Governor vetoed SB  531 (Glazer), which would have enacted further restrictions. The veto message described these agreements as “an important local tool that captures additional economic activity, particularly in rural and inland California cities that continue to face significant economic challenges like high unemployment rates. ” 2024 Law Requires Disclosure of Local Sales Tax Rebates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5074

Evaluation of a Tax Exemption for Zero-Emission Buses

Apr 15, 2024 - In 2020, 11  percent of buses entering service for small transit agencies were ZEBs; by 2022, that share had grown to 38  percent. As described in the “Background ” section, the ICT establishes higher ZEB purchase requirements for large transit agencies than for small transit agencies.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4890

The 2023-24 Budget: California's Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2023 - Evidence from Georgia and North Carolina. ” Evidence from Georgia and North Carolina (August 4, 2019) (2019). Bradbury, John Charles. “Do movie production incentives generate economic development? ” Contemporary Economic Policy 38.2 (2020): 327 ‑342.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4713

The 2017-18 Budget: Governor's Gann Limit Proposal

Mar 2, 2017 - As revenues surged during the dot ‑com boom of the late 1990s, however, the state approached the limit. The state had excess revenues in 1999 ‑00, but because appropriations were under the limit in 2000 ‑01, additional Proposition  98 spending and taxpayer rebates were not required.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3596