The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of the Governor’s CalWORKs Proposals

Feb 3, 2021 - Following a major realignment of state and local responsibilities in 1991, some funds generated by a new sales tax and a portion of the vehicle license fee accrue to a special fund with a series of subaccounts which pay for a variety of health and human services programs and responsibilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4341

Cannabis Tax Revenue Update [EconTax Blog]

Nov 18, 2022 - Cannabis Tax Revenue Update [EconTax Blog] Seth Kerstein In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64 , which legalized the nonmedical use of cannabis. Proposition 64 created two excise taxes on cannabis: a retail excise tax and a cultivation tax.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/762

The 2023-24 Budget: Sexual Assault Evidence Kits Testing Mandate

Feb 27, 2023 - Additionally, 12 counties and 8 cities operate and fund their own laboratories and conduct such testing. ( We note that local agencies also contract with private or other governmental laboratories for services.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4714

Local land use. [Ballot]

Oct 15, 2021 - Of California ’s 58 counties, 14 currently are charter counties. Of California ’s 482 cities, 121 are charter cities. Zoning, Land Use, and Housing. Both general law and charter cities and counties in California make most decisions about when, where, and what type of housing will be built.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-016

The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals

Feb 11, 2021 - In 2011, the state enacted legislation known as 2011 r ealignment, which dedicated a portion of the state ’s sales and use tax and vehicle license fee revenues to counties to administer child welfare and foster care programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4364

February 2021 State Tax Collections [EconTax Blog]

Mar 22, 2021 - February 2021 State Tax Collections [EconTax Blog] Seth Kerstein February gross revenue collections (before accounting for refunds) from the state ’s three largest taxes —the personal income tax, corporation tax, and sales tax —were ahead of budget projections by $1.6 billion (14 percent).
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/635

U.S. Retail Sales Update: October 2022 [EconTax Blog]

Oct 14, 2022 - U.S. retail sales (seasonally adjusted) grew 1.3 percent from September to October.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/757

The 2022-23 Budget: Analysis of the Governor’s Major Behavioral Health Proposals

Mar 3, 2022 - We  also find that the proposed cap on the number of county felony IST referrals (above which a county would pay a share of cost for felony IST treatment) raises state reimbursable mandate questions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4569

The 2023-24 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor's May Revision

May 15, 2023 - The main proposal in this area is a renewal and increase in a tax on health insurance plans known as the managed care organization (MCO) tax. Under the proposal, the tax would last from April 2023 through December 2026 and be used to maintain and augment support for Medi ‑Cal, the state ’s Medicaid program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4769

Voting in California. [Ballot]

Nov 4, 2021 - Require County Election Officials to Evaluate Wait Times. The measure would require county election officials to evaluate wait times for voting in person in each election. The measure would require that these reports be made public and i nclude actions the county intends to take, consistent with federal law, to address any unreasonably long wait times.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-021