The 2025-26 Budget: Concession Bargaining

May 19, 2025 - The salary range has a minimum step and a maximum step (also referred to as a top step) with intermediary steps in-between. Employees who are not at the top step of their job classification’s salary range may be eligible for a merit salary adjustment (typically 5 percent) in each year that they meet certain expectations, until they are at the top step of the range.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5047

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Units 10 (Professional Scientists) and 18 (Psychiatric Technician)

Sep 9, 2025 - Increases 2025-26 Special Salary Adjustments for Employees Below Top Step of Salary Ranges. The 2024 MOU included pay increases in 2025-26 of (1)  between 4  percent and 5  percent for employees at the top step of their classification ’s salary range and (2)  3  percent for employees not at the top step of their classification ’s salary range.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5073

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 12 (Craft and Maintenance)

Jun 27, 2025 - In 2003, the average Unit 12 member had more than 11 years of state service. Today, the average Unit 12 member has seven years of service. Declining Share of Employees at Top Step. Figure  2 shows that the share of Unit 12 members who are at the top step of their job classification ’s pay range has decreased significantly over the past couple of decades and appears to be continuing to decline.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5060

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 16 (Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists)

Jul 14, 2025 - Employees at the top step of their salary ranges would receive the pay increase. Employee not at the top step would not receive the pay increase. Correctional Medicine Differential —Resolution to PERB Case SA-CE-2168-S.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5064

California New Car Registrations: January 2026 [EconTax Blog]

Mar 11, 2026 - California New Car Registrations: January 2026 [EconTax Blog] California New Car Registrations: January 2026 March 11, 2026 Seth Kerstein As discussed in an earlier post , new car purchases can be a useful, timely economic indicator.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/853

California New Car Registrations: January 2026 [EconTax Blog]

Mar 11, 2026 - California New Car Registrations: January 2026 [EconTax Blog] California New Car Registrations: January 2026 March 11, 2026 Seth Kerstein As discussed in an earlier post , new car purchases can be a useful, timely economic indicator.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/853

The 2026-27 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 18, 2026 - California ’s most recent payment error rate, for federal fiscal year 2023-24, is about 11  percent. (The comparable national error rate is similarly about 11  percent.) Payment error rates in California and nationally have risen in recent years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5126

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog]

Feb 18, 2026 - Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog] Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) February 18, 2026 Seth Kerstein Beginning July 2024, Chapter 231 of 2023 (AB 28, Gabriel) imposed an 11 percent excise tax on retail sales of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition, with some exemptions.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/849

Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog]

Feb 18, 2026 - Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) [EconTax Blog] Firearms and Ammunition Revenue Update (2025 Q4) February 18, 2026 Seth Kerstein Beginning July 2024, Chapter 231 of 2023 (AB 28, Gabriel) imposed an 11 percent excise tax on retail sales of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition, with some exemptions.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/849

UC Federal Grants and Contracts for Medical Care, R&D, and Other Purposes [EdBudget]

Feb 21, 2026 - UC Federal Grants and Contracts for Medical Care, R&D, and Other Purposes [EdBudget] a Amounts for 2024-25 are estimates based on 11 months of actuals. b Reflects expenditures, not annual grant award amounts. c This row excludes expenditures from NIH grants. 
https://lao.ca.gov/Education/EdBudget/Details/1047