The 2020-21 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2020 - Governor Has a $6   Billion Surplus to Allocate. We estimate the Governor had a $6  b illion surplus to allocate in the 2020 ‑ 21 b udget process. (The box below gives more information on how we use the term “surplus ” in the Overview of the Governor ’s Budget .)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4135

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: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs

Feb 23, 2026 - In a November 2022 referendum, voters approved Chapter  34 of 2020 (SB  793, Hill), which bans most sales of flavored tobacco products. ( “Flavored ” refers to non ‑tobacco flavors, such as menthol cigarettes or fruit ‑flavored e ‑cigarettes.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

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 2020-21 Spending Plan: Tax Changes

Oct 5, 2020 - (Budget-related legislation enacted in June expanded the EITC and YCTC to ITIN filers with children under 6, but additional legislation in August broadened this expansion to all ITIN filers.) This expansion is assumed to reduce revenues by $125  million in 2020 ‑21.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4270

The 2025-26 Budget: CDTFA’s Tobacco Programs

Feb 14, 2025 - CDTFA ’s estimated cost to implement AB  3218 and SB  1230 is $3.3  million in 2024-25, $5.5  million per year in 2025-26 and 2026-27, and $3.1  million in 2027-28 and ongoing. The new laws create penalties that could raise revenue to offset some of these costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4966

An Update on California’s Cash Management Situation

Aug 31, 2020 - Meanwhile, the state ’s 2020-21 budget package took steps to begin payment deferrals to schools at the end of 2019-20. As a result, payments to schools in June of 2020 were only $300  million, compared to $6  billion anticipated earlier this year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4266

Evaluation of a Tax Exemption for Zero-Emission Buses

Apr 15, 2024 - In 2020, 10  percent of buses entering service for large transit agencies were ZEBs; by 2022, that share had grown to 28  percent. In 2020, 11  percent of buses entering service for small transit agencies were ZEBs; by 2022, that share had grown to 38  percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4890

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

Tax Credit Expansions in the American Rescue Plan

Apr 13, 2021 - The ARP also gave people the option to use their income from either 2019 or 2020 when filing their 2020 returns. Childless Filers ’ Maximum EITC Will Nearly Triple. Figure  1 below shows how childless filers ’ EITC amounts will change under the new law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4410