Updating the California Necessities Index

Aug 14, 2025 - We consider the most common price indices specific to California: the California Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CA CPI ‑U) and the California Consumer Price Index for Wage and Clerical Workers (CA CPI ‑W).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5065

Updating the California Necessities Index [Publication Details]

Aug 14, 2025 - Recent changes were made to the publication of statistics required to calculate the California Necessities Index, which is used to adjust certain benefit rates and cost-of-living adjustments. In this brief, we provide details on the changes and evaluate alternatives for the index that require only currently available data and conform to the original intent of the index.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5065

Sales Tax Exemption for Bunker Fuel

Nov 19, 2025 - Maritime Fuel Prices. According to Ship & Bunker , the average price of marine gas oil (a major type of maritime fuel) at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach was $781 per metric ton in October 2025.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5094

The 2022-23 Budget: Fuel Price and Other Fiscal Relief Options

May 12, 2022 - The 2022-23 Budget: Fuel Price and Other Fiscal Relief Options The 2022-23 Budget Fuel Price and Other Fiscal Relief Options Summary. In response to increasing prices across the economy —particularly fuel prices —the Legislature is considering a number of policies for providing fiscal relief to Californians.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4597

The 2026-27 Budget: State Mandate—Disclosure Requirements and Deferral of Property Taxation

Feb 19, 2026 - The California Constitution specifies that the property value used for determining property taxes is set at the property ’s purchase price and then increased annually by 2  percent or less. However, Proposition  19 (2020) allows certain homeowners (such as people who are 55 years or older) to transfer their existing home value for property tax purposes to a new home anywhere in the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5130

The 2022-23 Budget: Fuel Tax Rates

Feb 11, 2022 - Slightly Lower Prices at the Pump. Available  evidence suggests that lower excise taxes likely would result in lower retail prices. The exact effect on retail prices is uncertain, but most of the change in the tax rate likely would be passed through to prices at the pump.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4528

Sales Tax Exemption for Bunker Fuel [Publication Details]

Nov 19, 2025 - Chapter 442 of 2023 (AB 543, Gipson) extended a longstanding sales tax exemption for certain purchases of bunker fuel, also known as maritime fuel.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5094

The 2023-24 Budget: Considering Inflation's Effects on State Programs

Nov 16, 2022 - In some areas, the unpredictability of inflation —swings in the rate of growth of prices —can pose greater issues. If inflation is high, but stable, contractors and developers can plan for it and account for growth in prices in projections.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4647

Fixing Unemployment Insurance

Dec 2, 2024 - Experience rating is a standard feature of UI and functions similarly to risk ‑based pricing in an insurance market. As with car insurance, for example, where premiums are adjusted based on an individual ’s risk profile (that is, driving history), experience rating aims to adjust employers ’ tax rates based on their “risk ” of future layoffs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4943