California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - After the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, it took four and five years, respectively, for revenues to recover. Incorporating revenue risk into the budget now, therefore, reflects prudence, not pessimism.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

Building Reserves to Prepare for a Recession

Mar 7, 2018 - By most measures, the recession of the early 1990s was more severe than the dot ‑com bust in the early 2000s. For example, unemployment in California reached 9. 7  p ercent in mid ‑ to late ‑1992, but peaked at 6. 9  p ercent after the dot ‑com bust.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3769

The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - For California, the dot ‑com era —when stocks rose and then fell precipitously in response to widespread adoption of the internet —offers the most salient example. The internet has proven to be a transformative technology and, yet, the stock market ’s initial reaction was clearly overly exuberant.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

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

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

Apr 19, 2023 - Other downturns, such as the 2001 so-called dot-com recession, had severe fiscal implications while inflicting somewhat milder economic damage. The 2008 Great Recession had brutal effects on both the state ’s economy and budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4762

The 2019-20 Budget: The Governor's Proposal for a New Office of Digital Innovation

Mar 22, 2019 - In this post, we describe the Governor’s 2019-20 budget proposal to create a new office within California’s Government Operations Agency—the Office of Digital Innovation. We then provide issues for legislative consideration, including key questions about the office’s implementation and legislative oversight of its activities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3981

The 2024-25 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2024 - The 2024-25 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget $3,135 $4,677 BCH = Secretary for Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency; HHAPP = Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program; FHC = Family Homelessness Challenge Grants; BSCC  =  Board of State and Community Corrections; CalFire = California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; CalRecycle = California
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4825/1

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 2, 2024 - Transfers Three Programs to Other Departments and Agencies. The budget transfers General Fund and responsibilities for three programs from OPR to other state entities: (1) $31.5  million and the Precision Medicine Program to the California Health and Human Services Agency, (2) $2.2  million and a zero-emission vehicle program to the Governor ’s Office of Business
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4934

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 2, 2024 - Transfers Three Programs to Other Departments and Agencies. The budget transfers General Fund and responsibilities for three programs from OPR to other state entities: (1) $31.5  million and the Precision Medicine Program to the California Health and Human Services Agency, (2) $2.2  million and a zero-emission vehicle program to the Governor ’s Office of Business
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4934/governors-office-of-emergency-services

The 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Assessment

Feb 15, 2023 - Three of those —the recession in the early 1990s, the dot ‑com bust in the early 2000s, and the Great Recession —resulted in large revenue shortfalls and ensuing multiyear deficits, even for some years after each recession ended.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4687