The 2021-22 Budget: The Governor’s Suspension Proposal

Jan 29, 2021 - Recent budgets have used funding from Proposition  56, which established a higher tax on tobacco products, to increase provider payments in Medi ‑Cal. If the suspensions went into effect, most of these payment increases would cease.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4328

The 2020-21 Budget: School District Budget Trends

Jan 21, 2020 - Smaller districts, districts that receive most of their funding from local property tax revenue ( “basic aid ” districts), and districts that can demonstrate “extraordinary fiscal circumstances ” are exempt from the cap.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4136

Limiting government powers during a public health emergency. [Ballot]

Nov 4, 2020 - On the other hand, the limits on the state ’s ability to respond could result in more severe public health emergencies, resulting in reduced business activity and tax revenue. In addition, the limits on response activities could mean the state and local governments qualify for less federal disaster assistance funding.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2020-004

The 2022-23 Budget: Water and Drought Response Proposals

Jan 31, 2022 - For example, if the Legislature were to reject or approve a lower amount of spending on the proposed water‑related activities that the administration excludes from SAL, it would generally need to repurpose the associated funding for other SAL‑related purposes, such as tax reductions or an alternative excluded expenditure.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4509

The 2022-23 Budget: Public Health Foundational Support

Feb 16, 2022 - (Nonprofit hospitals, in exchange for their tax ‑exempt status, are required to use some of their resources for community benefits, such as charity care, based on a community needs assessment.) Assessment of Spending Plan Providing more sustained, flexible General Fund support for public health was an important priority for the Legislature in reaching the 2021 ‑22 budget agreement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4544

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Labor and Employment Issues

Oct 5, 2020 - The department requested resources for AB  5 because its payroll tax auditors must determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. Funds will be used to train auditors to apply the new test and hire auditors to prepare audits for additional employer appeals that are expected as a result of the law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4274

The 2022-23 Budget: Assessing Proposals to Address Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Feb 15, 2022 - In light of this scrutiny, the Internal Revenue Service recently called off its planned adoption of ID.me for tax filing. (After the publication of this report, the IRS reinstated its use of ID.me, but with added safeguards.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4542

The 2022-23 Budget: Middle Class Scholarship Program

Mar 30, 2022 - (For context, about 90  percent of tax filers in California are beneath this cap.) Revamped MCS Program Is Much Costlier Than Original Program. In fall 2021, CSAC prepared a cost estimate for the revamped MCS program using more detailed student ‑level data than was available when the 2021 ‑22 budget was enacted.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4581

Water supply. [Ballot]

Oct 15, 2021 - The State Constitution limits how much tax revenues the state can spend each year. However, certain types of spending, most notably for infrastructure, are excluded from this limit. In recent years, the limit has been an important consideration in state budgeting decisions.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-014

The 2021-22 Budget: Behavioral Health: Continuum Infrastructure Funding Proposal

Feb 17, 2021 - These sources include ( 1)  d edicated vehicle license fee and sales tax revenue streams known as “realignment ” funds, ( 2)  r evenues from the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) —funded through a 1  p ercent tax on incomes over $ 1  m illion, and ( 3)  f ederal funding accessed through Medi ‑Cal (California ’s state Medicaid program).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4379