California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - Throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, the stock market boomed over optimism around the Internet and dot-com start-ups. Strong tax revenue trends from this boom generated large budget surpluses that ultimately gave way to serious deficits once the bubble burst and PIT revenues declined nearly 30  percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - The four major downturns were more severe, with income tax declines ranging from 17 percent to 30 percent (average of 24 percent). Perhaps more concerning, income tax revenues stayed depressed for years following major downturns.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - The four major downturns were more severe, with income tax declines ranging from 17 percent to 30 percent (average of 24 percent). Perhaps more concerning, income tax revenues stayed depressed for years following major downturns.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q2) [EconTax Blog]

Aug 18, 2025 - Preliminary Total for 2024-25: $58 Million. For firearm and ammunition excise tax returns filed for 2024-25, the total amount of tax due is $58 million —a bit lower than the budget package revenue assumption.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/836

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q3) [EconTax Blog]

Nov 18, 2025 - Current tax return data suggest that the total will be around $58 million. Preliminary Total for Third Quarter of 2025: $13 Million. For firearm and ammunition excise tax returns filed for the third quarter of 2025, the total amount of tax due is $13 million —slightly below the quarterly average in the first year of the program.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/842

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q3) [EconTax Blog]

Nov 18, 2025 - Current tax return data suggest that the total will be around $58 million. Preliminary Total for Third Quarter of 2025: $13 Million. For firearm and ammunition excise tax returns filed for the third quarter of 2025, the total amount of tax due is $13 million —slightly below the quarterly average in the first year of the program.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/842

Oversight of certain public benefit artificial intelligence (AI) companies. [Ballot]

Jan 20, 2026 - The measure would have the following major fiscal effects: Increased state costs that would likely be in the tens of millions of dollars annually to establish and operate a new regulatory commission overseeing certain public benefit AI com panies.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-033

Home Prices Update: September 2021 [EconTax Blog]

Oct 20, 2021 - San Joaquin county, which is increasingly becoming a bedroom community for the Bay Area, has seen growth above 30 percent.  
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/706

The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Figure 3 General Fund Condition Under Fiscal Outlook (In Millions)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

Home Price Update: October 2021 [EconTax Blog]

Nov 18, 2021 - The next figure shows a sharp slowdown in California month to month home price growth over the past 3 months. The October state growth rate of 0.70 percent was the lowest since July 2020, if still high by historical standards.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/714