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

Jan 12, 2026 - As such, the administration ’s revenue estimate exceeds ours by almost $30  billion across the budget window (2024 ‑25 through 2026 ‑27). This  higher revenue assumption substantially improves the budget condition relative to our forecast and is the main driving difference between our estimates of the deficit.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101

The 2026-27 Budget: How to Use One-Time Revenue Improvements

Feb 20, 2026 - Further, despite large revenue upgrades since June, the budget for this year remains roughly balanced. Recommend Using Windfall to Reduce Reliance on Reserves and Borrowing. Accordingly, if windfall resources are available at the May Revision, we recommend the Legislature use them to reduce the reliance on the use of reserves and borrowing in the current year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5133

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - As we described in our November Fiscal Outlook , the recent stronger-than-expected revenue trends are almost entirely explained by the personal income tax (PIT), which has seen double digit growth this year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104