The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Spending Plan

Oct 16, 2025 - The estimate of the requirement for 2024 ‑25 is up nearly $4.7  billion (4  percent) from the June 2024 level, but the budget appropriates just over $2.7  billion in additional funding for that year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5079

California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - The added risk variable weighs on the range of revenue outcomes that we view as most plausible. The middle of the range, which becomes our main revenue forecast, is thus lower than if we did not include the stock market risk indicator.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

The 2025-26 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor's May Revision

May 17, 2025 - Finally, although we have not previously recommended the Leg islature take decisive action to address the structural deficits, the state ’s persistent fiscal imbalance and the added downside risks —particularly from potential federal actions —suggest a need for a more proactive approach.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5044

The 2026-27 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 12, 2026 - Some of the largest spending augmentations proposed for the budget window include: (1) $76 million for utility replacement and site improvements at Exposition Park, (2) $67 million to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for fixed‑wing aircraft pilot and mechanics contract increases, (3) $60 million to the Department of Health Care Access and Information for a reproductive
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101

California's Legislative Analyst's Office and the Value of Independence

Nov 15, 2024 - As such, our independent fiscal assessment underlies the Legislature ’s ability to assert an informed check on the executive branch, making any added complexity from diverging estimates a worthwhile trade-off.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4938

The 2025-26 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - Outside of government and health care, the state has added no jobs in a year and a half. Similarly, the number of Californians who are unemployed is 25  percent higher than during the strong labor markets of 2019 and 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4939

The 2025-26 Budget: Multiyear Budget Outlook

May 24, 2025 - Figure 4 State ’s New Borrowing to Balance the Budget (In Billions)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5052

Rethinking California's Reserve Policy

Apr 10, 2025 - Proposition   4 (1979) Required California Governments to Establish Reserve Accounts. Partially motivated by the budget surpluses of the late 1970s (but not reserves, as the state had none), voters passed Proposition  4 in November of 1979.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5028

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - The proposal would then provide a like amount of funding from Proposition  4, the climate bond approved by voters in November 2024. This  would result in maintaining prior funding levels for these activities but would preclude this amount of Proposition  4 funds from supporting expanded service levels or additional projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2025-26 Budget: Undertaking Fiscal Oversight

Feb 24, 2025 - Meanwhile, revenue growth over the outlook window is just above 4  percent —this is lower than its historical average largely due to policy choices, namely the limitations on deductions and credits that end during the forecast window.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4983