Updating the California Necessities Index

Aug 14, 2025 - Second, like the current formula, alternatives should provide an intuitive way to judge changes in the cost of necessities. This provides transparency to benefit recipients when they assess changes to the funds they receive.
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

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

May 20, 2020 - Eliminate Sales Tax Exemption for Magazine Subscriptions. Magazine subscriptions are exempt from sales tax. However, magazines sold at stores are taxed, as are subscriptions to daily newspapers. There is no clear rationale for this discrepancy.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4238

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

Evaluating State Economic Stimulus Proposals

Feb 1, 2021 - How Large Are the Administrative Costs? All programs have costs for public administration. The administrative costs of an economic stimulus program ideally should be a small share of the overall cost.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4331

The 2026-27 Budget: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs

Feb 23, 2026 - In 2026 ‑27, $2.8  million of these appropriations would come from the Compliance Fund to pay for costs in the Tobacco Licensing Program, while $0.5  million would come from the Cannabis Tax Fund to pay for costs in the Cannabis Tax Program. $0.2  million of these costs would shift from the Compliance Fund to the Cannabis Tax Fund starting in 2027 ‑28.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

The 2026-27 Budget: State Mandate—Disclosure Requirements and Deferral of Property Taxation

Feb 19, 2026 - …But Reimburse County for Previously Incurred Costs. We recommend the state reimburse Los Angeles County for costs already incurred. This is because the county has already performed the state-required activities and, even given the current budget climate, the cost to the state (a total of about $30,000 one time) is minimal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5130

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 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - If the Legislature is concerned about the potential for a short-term spike in the program ’s fiscal costs, especially in light of the state ’s structural budget issues, some modifications could be considered.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162