The 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - Changes made to the program in 2018 likely explain much of this trend. Specifically, the 2018 budget package: Removed a requirement that 25  percent of credits be reserved for businesses with less than $2  million in annual revenue.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162

The 2026-27 Budget: State Mandate—Disclosure Requirements and Deferral of Property Taxation

Feb 19, 2026 - In particular, state law directs our office to report on the annual state costs for new mandates and make recommendations to the Legislature as to whether the new mandates should be (1)  repealed (permanently eliminating it or making it optional), (2)  suspended (rendering it inoperative for one year), (3)  modified, or (4)  funded.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5130

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - During the phase ‑in period, the state also entered the dot ‑com recession. These two cost pressures absorbed the remaining flexibility in the state ’s UI tax system. As  shown in Figure  4 , the state began this period in Schedule C but quickly moved to Schedule F+, the highest tax schedule, where it has remained since.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 16, 2025 - The spending plan includes $169  million for CDFA from Proposition  4, which we discuss in more detail in a separate budget and policy post — The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Proposition 4. Baseline Ongoing Reductions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5081

Evaluation of a Tax Exemption for Zero-Emission Buses

Apr 15, 2024 - First, the program received an additional $4  billion to provide through its traditional competitive process. The program awarded this funding to local agencies in the spring of 2023. Second, the program received $4  billion —$2  billion in 2023-24 and $1  billion planned for both 2024-25 and 2025- 26 —to provide on a formula basis to local agencies for capital and/or operational expenses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4890

The 2023-24 Budget: California's Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2023 - Tax and economic development lessons from state motion picture incentive programs. ” The American Review of Public Administration 48.1 (2018): 33 ‑51. Thom, Michael. “Time to yell “cut? ” An evaluation of the California Film and Production Tax Credit for the motion picture industry. ” California Journal of Politics and Policy 10.1 (2018).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4713

Local Sales Tax Rebates in 2023-24

Sep 16, 2025 - Substantial Rebates in Many Counties … As shown in Figure  2, 2023-24 rebate payments varied across counties. In nine counties, rebates exceeded $5 per resident. In seven others, rebates ranged from $1 to $5 per resident.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5074

The 2026-27 Budget: CDTFA’s Cannabis and Tobacco Programs

Feb 23, 2026 - The Governor proposes covering an additional $2  million of annual flavor ban enforcement costs by using existing Compliance Fund appropriations that the department has not been spending. Hemp ‑Derived Cannabinoids.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

Overview of Diversity Efforts in the Film Tax Credit Program

May 1, 2025 - Compared to the version 3.0 diversity requirements, the upcoming changes in version 4.0 represent a more significant incentive for production companies to engage in DEIA activities, since 4  percent of the total credit is contingent on enacting and documenting specific initiatives.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5036

The 2025-26 Budget: CDTFA’s Tobacco Programs

Feb 14, 2025 - In 2018-19, the tax program had 75.6 filled positions, and the licensing program had 64.3 filled positions. In 2023-24, these programs had 53.2 and 41.9 filled positions, respectively. CDTFA has provided two explanations for this decline.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4966