Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - While it is reasonable to expect that some workers would make too much money for UI to replace half of their earnings, California ’s benefit levels only meet the federal wage replacement standard for half of the state ’s workers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943

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

Feb 23, 2026 - In the case of the Cannabis Tax Program, we note: The administration has not presented any arguments linking the General Fund ’s share of costs to its share of indirect benefits. This is not part of a broad, systematic effort to allocate costs based on indirect benefits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5132

The 2025-26 Budget: Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development

Mar 18, 2025 - Overall, most programs increase employment and earnings among participants while receiving a subsidy. However, the ultimate goal is to improve long-term employment prospects of these workers. Research suggests that it is less common that programs lead to h igher employment or earnings after the subsidy ends.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5018

Effect of Returning to Historical Estimated Tax Payment Schedule

Feb 27, 2023 - (While there are penalties for underpaying estimated taxes, taxpayers with uneven income timing can avoid or minimize penalties if they make full estimated payments when they earn the income.) Figure  2 shows the share of estimated personal income tax liability paid in the first half of the year before and after the timing changes made in 2008 and 2009.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4722

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - , we assume the following: A single adult without children shares a two-bedroom apartment with another adult. Single parents with one, two, or three children live in one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or three-bedroom apartments, respectively.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/4

The 2025-26 Budget: California’s Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2025 - Motion Picture Industry Workers Earn Above Average Wages. In 2023, workers in California ’s motion picture industry earned a weekly wage of over $2,700 on average, 60  percent higher than the average weekly wage in California across all industries ($1,730).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5000

The 2021-22 Budget: Business Tax Incentives

Jan 28, 2021 - Of this amount, after accounting for the five ‑year structure of the tax credit agreements and the credit recaptures, we estimate that business have earned roughly $ 500  m illion in California Competes tax credits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4327

California’s Low-Wage Workers and Minimum Wage

Mar 11, 2024 - Differences in Weekly Hours Amplify Earnings Inequality. Figure  5 shows that mid-to-high-wage workers are much more likely to work full-time than low-wage workers. As a result, the gap between these groups ’ weekly earnings is wider than the gap between their hourly wages.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4878/1

Tax Credit Expansions in the American Rescue Plan

Apr 13, 2021 - This piece will briefly describe the changes to three credits that apply to many lower-income and middle-income filers: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC), and the Child and Dependent Care Expenses Credit ( “child care credit ”).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4410

Sales Tax Exemption for Bunker Fuel

Nov 19, 2025 - As suggested by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, we use nationwide estimates of residual fuel oil consumption from the Energy Information Administration and assume that California ’s share of fuel consumption is proportional to its share of U.S. port tonnage.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5094