The 2024-25 Budget: Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development

Feb 20, 2024 - We estimate the Governor ’s budget predicts the state ’s 2024-25 budget will need to address a $58 billion deficit . In December, our office predicted a somewhat large deficit of $68 billion . Since then, recent data has continued to point to the budget problem being larger than the Governor’s budget assumes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4846

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state costs for new mandates and make recommendations to the Legislature as to whether the new mandates should be (1)  repealed (permanently eliminating it or making it optional), (2)  suspended (rendering it inoperative for one year), (3)  modified, or (4)  funded.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

The 2026-27 Budget: California Competes Extension

Mar 18, 2026 - Figure  4 shows how credit allocation across sectors has changed since changes were made to the program in 2018. In particular, the share of awards going to advanced manufacturing firms has greatly increased while the share going to professional services (for example, accounting, legal, and local business services) has significantly decreased.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5162

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/

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - As shown in Figure  4, we estimate the wage gap between California ’s male and female low-wage workers to be around 5  percent to 10  percent. In other words, we estimate the 10 th percentile hourly wage for men to be roughly 5  percent to 10  percent higher than the 10 th percentile hourly wage for women.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/3

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

Local Sales Tax Rebates in 2023-24

Sep 16, 2025 - Figure  4 compares these areas ’ incomes and unemployment rates to the state as a whole. Median annual household incomes in rebate-paying jurisdictions are a bit higher than the statewide average. The average unemployment rate in jurisdictions that paid $1 to $20 per resident is very close to the statewide average.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5074

The 2022-23 Budget: Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development Proposals

Feb 11, 2022 - Consequently, Visit California has increased its net assets from $20  million at the beginning of 2019 ‑20 to $58  million by the end of 2021 ‑22. Additional State Funding for Marketing Appears Unnecessary.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4529

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: California’s Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2025 - Starting with awards made in 2025 ‑26, a production can receive an additional 4  percent credit if they submit a work plan to CFC and CFC determines that the recipient has made a “good ‑faith effort ” to achieve the goals in the work plan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5000