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 - Moreover, we estimate costs in other programs to be about $6  billion higher than anticipated. Starting in 2027 ‑28, we estimate structural deficits to grow to about $35  billion annually due to spending growth continuing to outstrip revenue growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

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

Feb 20, 2026 - In addition, recent budgets have relied on nearly $30  billion in borrowing to address deficits, and the Governor ’s budget proposes almost $6  billion in additional borrowing (see Figure  1). A period of strong revenue growth is not an appropriate time to draw down significant reserves or continue to rely on borrowing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5133

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 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 23, 2023 - Across all programs in this agency (including, for example, Medi ‑Cal, In ‑Home Supportive Services, developmental services, and child care), our estimates are $6  billion higher than the administration ’s projection by 2026 ‑27.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4772

The 2021-22 Budget: Overview of the Spending Plan (Final Version)

Oct 27, 2021 - (The full implementation costs of these ongoing proposals grow to $6. 6 b illion by 2025 ‑26.) Additionally, the budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars for continued temporary assistance related to the COVID ‑ 19 p andemic response and support in child welfare, In ‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and CalWORKs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4448

The 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Assessment

Feb 15, 2023 - After accounting for proposed budget solutions, the administration estimates the state has $15.2  billion in one ‑time or temporary spending scheduled for 2023 ‑24, $9.3  billion in 2024 ‑25, and $6  billion in 2025 ‑26.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4687

Overview of American Rescue Plan: Implications for California [Publication Details]

Mar 18, 2021 - Presented to: Assembly Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation Hon. Philip Y. Ting, Chair
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4405

The 2025-26 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor's May Revision

May 17, 2025 - Revenues for prior and current years are up a total of $6  billion, primarily reflecting stronger ‑than ‑expect personal income tax collections which are running $4  billion ahead of prior projections as of April.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5044

The 2025-26 Budget: Undertaking Fiscal Oversight

Feb 24, 2025 - Specifically, our November forecasted spending growth is about 6  percent over the multiyear period (2026-27 thought 2028-29) —a growth rate that is high by historical outlook standards and slightly above what we consider to be long-term revenue growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4983