Updating the California Necessities Index

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5065

Updating the California Necessities Index [Publication Details]

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5065

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Tax Changes

Oct 5, 2020 - Sales and Use Tax Changes Changes Timing of Sales Tax Payments by Used Car Dealers. Beginning January 1, 2021, the budget package requires used car dealers to pay sales taxes on car sales to the Department of Motor Vehicles when they pay their vehicle registration fees —which occurs shortly after a car is sold.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4270

The 2025-26 Budget: Update on Implementation of New Firearm and Ammunition Tax

Feb 19, 2025 - Additionally, Chapter  231 requires DOJ provide CDTFA with the names and business locations of all firearm dealers, firearm manufacturers, and ammunition vendors at least quarterly to administer the tax.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4970

The 2020-21 May Revision: Revenue Proposals in the 2020-21 May Revision

May 20, 2020 - Change Timing of Sales Tax Payment by Used Car Dealers. Currently, used car dealers must pay registration fees to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) soon after they sell vehicles. They also must pay sales taxes by submitting periodic tax returns to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, as most retailers do.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4238

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Most Low-Wage Workers Live With at Least One Other Worker. Compared to mid-to-high-wage workers, low-wage workers are much less likely to live in households with exactly two workers and much more likely to live in households with three or more workers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/1

Review of the California Competes Tax Credit

Oct 31, 2017 - Tradability is important in the context of California Competes because the expansion of such businesses need not come at the expense of other California businesses —economic growth is not a zero sum game.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3709

Local Sales Tax Rebates in 2023-24

Sep 16, 2025 - One-quarter of Californians live in a jurisdiction that paid rebates in 2023-24. Focusing on these areas, Figure  3 displays the distribution of rebate payments across jurisdictions, weighted by the number of residents.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5074

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Single parents with one, two, or three children live in one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or three-bedroom apartments, respectively. An adult couple without children live in a studio/efficiency. An adult couple with one or two children live in a two-bedroom apartment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/4

California’s High Housing Costs: Causes and Consequences [Publication Details]

Mar 17, 2015 - California’s High Housing Costs: Causes and Consequences [Publication Details] Infographic Description: Living in decent, affordable, and reasonably located housing is vitally important to every Californian.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/3214