The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Amid these conditions, California businesses have pared back hiring, resulting in no payroll job growth in the state so far this year. California consumers similarly are limiting spending, with sales of taxable goods flat over the last year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

An Update on California Competes [EconTax Blog]

Mar 10, 2023 - One potential interpretation is that the state is making high risk-high reward bets on businesses. While many of these bets do not pan out, the ones that do can be successful enough to yield overall benefits for the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/771

Online sports wagering. [Ballot]

Oct 20, 2021 - This includes developing regulations and licensing requirements, authorizing the list of events and bet types eligible for online sports wagering, and investigating abnormal wa gering activity (such as the “fixing ” of games).
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-017

Gaming. [Ballot]

Dec 18, 2023 - For tribes under the state law framework, the measure authorizes CGCC to develop and implement vario us regulations —such as the types of bets that can be offered, licensing requirements, and consumer protection requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2023-030

Tribal gaming. [Ballot]

Dec 27, 2021 - The specific levels of authority that DOJ and CGCC would have over each tribe w ould depend on the type of authorization the tribe received. For those under the state law framework, the measure authorizes CGCC to develop and implement various regulations —such as the types of bets that can be offered, licensing requirements, and consumer protection requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2021-039

The applicability of tax increases to the state’s constitutional requirements. [Ballot]

Jan 27, 2026 - Taxes are a type of revenue that can be used to support any public purpose. Nearly all of the General Fund ’s revenues are taxes. Some funds, like special funds, are also funded with taxes. Most others are funded with other types of charges, largely fees.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2025-038

Sports wagering. [Ballot]

Dec 18, 2023 - Key details of the bill and/or compacts that could significantly impact the magnitude of the fiscal effects include: the specific sports wagering activities which are authorized (such as whether both in-person and online sports wagering are permitted as well as the types of games that may be bet upon), the regulatory structure adopted, and the specific payments required.
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Initiative/2023-031

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - Revenue Impact Also Depends on the Type of Downturn.  No two downturns are alike. By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/852

How Have Past Stock Market Downturns Affected Income Tax Revenue? [EconTax Blog]

Mar 9, 2026 - Revenue Impact Also Depends on the Type of Downturn.  No two downturns are alike. By most measures, the global financial crisis was more severe than the dot-com crash. The state 's unemployment rate, for example, peaked at 7 percent following the dot-com crash but reached nearly double that during the financial crisis and remained elevated for much longer.
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/852

Early Data Revision Shows No Job Creation During 2024 Q4 [EconTax Blog]

Jun 24, 2025 - Early Data Revision Shows No Job Creation During 2024 Q4 [EconTax Blog] Early Data Revision Shows No Job Creation During 2024 Q4 June 24, 2025 Chas Alamo Monthly State Jobs Estimates Are Revised Annually.  
https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/833