California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - After the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, it took four and five years, respectively, for revenues to recover. Incorporating revenue risk into the budget now, therefore, reflects prudence, not pessimism.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - For California, the dot ‑com era —when stocks rose and then fell precipitously in response to widespread adoption of the internet —offers the most salient example. The internet has proven to be a transformative technology and, yet, the stock market ’s initial reaction was clearly overly exuberant.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

Whether or Not to Tap Reserves to Solve Estimated Budget Problem Emerges as Key Fiscal Decision Facing California’s Legislature

Apr 19, 2023 - Revenues increased by nearly 30 percent in 2020-21 and another 20 percent in 2021-22. In the course of allocating the historically large surpluses generated by the revenue surge, General Fund spending increased commensurately.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4762

The 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Assessment

Feb 15, 2023 - Three of those —the recession in the early 1990s, the dot ‑com bust in the early 2000s, and the Great Recession —resulted in large revenue shortfalls and ensuing multiyear deficits, even for some years after each recession ended.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4687

Rethinking California's Reserve Policy

Apr 10, 2025 - In March of 2004, on the heels of the dot ‑com bust, voters passed Proposition  58, which created the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA). In the 2006 ‑07 budget, the Legislature deposited $472  million into the BSA and in 2007 ‑08 deposited $1.5  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5028

The 2022-23 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook

Nov 17, 2021 - As such, consistent with General Fund tax revenue increases, our estimate of required General Fund spending on schools and community colleges for 2020 ‑21 and 2021 ‑22 increases by almost $11  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4472

The State Appropriations Limit

Apr 21, 2021 - The state ’s appropriations subject to the limit fell substantially during the dot ‑com bust in the early 2000s and again during the Great Recession due to the significant decline in state revenues during those downturns.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4416

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - (In addition, the Constitution requires the state to set aside $11  billion for reserves and debt payments. We also describe those below.) One-Time Spending The Governor proposes spending $25  billion of General Fund surplus monies on a one-time or temporary basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 2, 2024 - This is a net increase of $11  million (7  percent) from the revised 2023-24 level. We identify some of the major actions taken in the 2024-25 budget process below. California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4934

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 2, 2024 - This is a net increase of $11  million (7  percent) from the revised 2023-24 level. We identify some of the major actions taken in the 2024-25 budget process below. California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4934/governors-office-of-emergency-services