California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - Moreover, investors have been aggressive in taking on high levels of margin debt (borrowing to buy stocks), which has reached approximately three times the historical norm. These and other indicators are at levels previously only seen at times when the market was approaching a peak before entering a period of retrenchment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - In the past, these patterns have been a sign that a stock market downturn will occur in the next couple of years. There certainly is some chance that this time is different and such a downturn is not forthcoming.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

Whether or Not to Tap Reserves to Solve Estimated Budget Problem Emerges as Key Fiscal Decision Facing California’s Legislature

Apr 19, 2023 - Other downturns, such as the 2001 so-called dot-com recession, had severe fiscal implications while inflicting somewhat milder economic damage. The 2008 Great Recession had brutal effects on both the state ’s economy and budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4762

The 2023-24 Budget: Multiyear Assessment

Feb 15, 2023 - Specifically, we assess how often in the past revenues experienced a positive deviation large enough to meet or exceed the proposed level of spending (adjusted for constitutional, formula ‑driven spending).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4687

Rethinking California's Reserve Policy

Apr 10, 2025 - Figure  7 shows states ’ rainy day funds as a share of total spending in 2024. On this measure, California ’s reserves rank 29 out of 50. (In fact, Figure  7 likely overstates California ’s reserve balances compared to other states because the data appears to include the SFEU in the state ’s rainy day fund balances, although it is not a true rainy day fund.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5028

The 2024-25 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 23, 2024 - The light green line shows the amount of revenue the state would need to “break even ” —that is, the level of revenue the state would need to be able to afford the level of spending proposed in the May Revision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4907

The State Appropriations Limit

Apr 21, 2021 - The future level of new and expanded special fund taxes and fees will be similar to the past. The Legislature continues to dedicate spending toward excluded and non ‑excluded purposes in similar proportions to historical trends.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4416

The 2025-26 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - Current stock prices relative to companies ’ past earnings (a common measure of how “expensive ” stocks are) are at levels rivaled only by the transitory booms of 1999 and 2021. Furthermore, a single company (Nvidia) accounts for about one ‑third of the total gains in the S &P 500 stock index over the last year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4939

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

Feb 20, 2026 - The Governor ’s budget also maintains a $7  billion withdrawal from the BSA in 2025-26. If a May Revision windfall exceeds the amount needed to fund the true up, we recommend the Legislature use those resources to reduce the size of this withdrawal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5133

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act [Publication Details]

Aug 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5067