The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook Executive Summary Not Safe to Bet Artificial Intelligence ( AI) Fueled Exuberance Is Sustainable. Both the California and U.S. economies currently face significant headwinds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk January 23, 2026 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst History suggests that fiscal risks can build during times when they are easiest to ignore.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

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

Nov 15, 2024 - California 's Legislative Analyst 's Office and the Value of Independence November 15, 2024 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Providing the Legislature with a clear picture of the state ’s budget condition and the fiscal choices it faces is a cornerstone responsibility of the Legislative Analyst ’s Office (LAO).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4938

Whether or Not to Tap Reserves to Solve Estimated Budget Problem Emerges as Key Fiscal Decision Facing California’s Legislature

Apr 19, 2023 - Whether or Not to Tap Reserves to Solve Estimated Budget Problem Emerges as Key Fiscal Decision Facing California’s Legislature April 19, 2023 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Through the final months of the 2023-24 budget process, California ’s Legislature will make numerous important decisions regarding the allocation of state resources in the context of a budget problem.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4762

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

Jan 12, 2026 - That said, recent budgets have set the SFEU bet ween $3.5  billion and $4.5  billion, so the Governor ’s budget proposal to set the balance to $4.5  billion is generally in line with recent policy.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101

Despite Fiscal Forecasting Uncertainties, Multiyear Budget Planning Essential

May 27, 2021 - Despite Fiscal Forecasting Uncertainties, Multiyear Budget Planning Essential May 27, 2021 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Our office recently released its multiyear budget outlook based on our evaluation of the Governor’s May Revision budget proposal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4443

COVID-19 and California’s Evolving Fiscal Outlook

Mar 18, 2020 - COVID-19 and California’s Evolving Fiscal Outlook March 18, 2020 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a public health emergency. Earlier this week the Legislature provided the administration additional resources and authority to ensure the state can effectively respond.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4203

New Inflation Poses Not So New Budget Risk

Dec 15, 2022 - New Inflation Poses Not So New Budget Risk December 15, 2022 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Persistent high inflation presents federal and state policymakers with an economic problem not seen in roughly four decades.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4653

Strong Tax Collections Belie California's Challenging Fiscal Outlook

Apr 26, 2022 - Strong Tax Collections Belie California 's Challenging Fiscal Outlook April 26, 2022 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst Given the persistent strength in state tax collections, it may come as a surprise that California ’s General Fund likely faces a budget problem in the coming years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4590

A Framework for Allocating Federal Recovery Funds

May 4, 2021 - A Framework for Allocating Federal Recovery Funds May 4, 2021 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst In the coming months, the Legislature will face important decisions over how to use California ’s share of the state fiscal recovery funds included in the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4422