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4,881 Publications Found
February 3, 2011 - This responds to Senator Padilla's request that we conduct an independent review of the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program at the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (CEC). This program, which will automatically expire unless extended through legislative action, provides grants for research to develop energy technologies that benefit the environment, provide greater electricity system reliability, and lower system costs. We find that (1) the CEC has not demonstrated that there has been a substantial payoff to date from the state’s investment of more than $700 million in ratepayer funds, (2) there is a role for the state to continue to support public interest energy research, and (3) if the Legislature decides that there should be a continuing state role in this area of research, improvements could be made to the implementation of this role, including tightening funding eligibility parameters and changing the process by which research funding is allocated.
February 2, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee
February 2, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation
February 2, 2011 - Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 On Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary Hon. Loni Hancock, Chair
February 2, 2011 - Presented to Senate Governance and Finance Committee
February 2, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services and Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
February 2, 2011 - The Governor proposes $1.5 billion in budget solutions for CalWORKs. In this handout we summarize the Governor’s proposals, assess their impacts, and present alternative approaches to achieving General Fund savings in CalWORKs. Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 On Health and Human Services Hon. Holly Mitchell, Chair
February 1, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
February 1, 2011 - Total expenditures for the regional center system that provides services for persons with developmental disabilities more than doubled between 1999-00 and 2009-10, leading to a series of actions by the Legislature to slow down the growth in the program. In this report, we describe and assess proposals in the Governor’s 2011-12 budget plan to achieve further cost containment in programs administered by the Department of Developmental Services, including community services. We recommend approval of the Governor’s budget proposals to (1) extend the 4.25 percent provider payment reduction and the commensurate reduction to regional center (RC) operations, and (2) obtain additional federal funds for services provided through the developmental centers and the RCs. We also recommend the Legislature either expand the existing Family Cost Participation Program or implement means testing to determine who is eligible to receive these state services.These changes, we would acknowledge, represent a significant departure from the policies originally adopted in the Lanterman Act but would help ensure the long-term sustainability of the program for those consumers with the greatest financial need for its services.
February 1, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration
February 1, 2011 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary
January 31, 2011 - The Governor proposes (1) $52 million to pay for noneducation mandates and (2) to suspend mandates relating to absentee ballots and open meetings. In this handout we summarize the Governor’s proposals and discuss alternatives for legislative consideration.
January 31, 2011 - For four of its budget proposals, the administration uses a new approach for accruing (attributing) revenues to each fiscal year. In the administration's budget figures, this approach increases revenues available for the 2011-12 budget process by over $700 million and decreases the 2011-12 minimum funding guarantee for schools and community colleges by $1.5 billion below what it would have been otherwise. We find that the administration's new accrual approach—while imperfectly executed in its forecast—has some merit. It would move state budget accounting closer—in some respects—to generally accepted accounting principles. We fault the administration for not describing the new approach and its implications more clearly in its public budget documents and recommend that the Legislature take steps to require more transparency in the future.
January 27, 2011 - Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 On Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary Hon. Loni Hancock, Chair
January 27, 2011 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 On Education Finance