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Report

Correctional Officer Pay, Benefits, and Labor Relations

February 7, 2008 - The administration proposes a 5 percent raise for correctional officers and legislation to allow it to impose a labor settlement on the officers’ union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA). We find that the officers’ compensation levels are sufficient to allow the prisons to meet personnel needs at the present time, but we generally agree with other administration proposals to increase management control in prisons. We note that the dysfunctional relationship between the administration and CCPOA makes it more difficult to address the many issues facing the state’s prison and personnel management systems.


Other

Webcast: Health Care Reform

January 25, 2008 - Elizabeth Hill's Senate Testimony on ABX1 and its related initiative.


Handout

Special Session Guide to Building the Current-Year Proposition 98 Budget

January 24, 2008 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee


Report

Restoring the Salton Sea

January 24, 2008 - First, we recommend the Legislature set explicit policy priorities in statute for addressing environmental problems at the Sea. We consider protection of air quality and preservation of wildlife habitat to be the highest priorities. Second, we recommend the Legislature adopt a comprehensive plan at the outset of the restoration process. Finally, we recommend the Legislature consider funding interim measures to address priority issues such as air quality or wildlife habitat in the near term.


Handout

Overview of the Governor’s 2008‑09 Budget Proposal for the California Community Colleges

January 23, 2008 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance


Handout

Comments on the Administration's Cash Management Proposals

January 22, 2008 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Denise Moreno Ducheny, Chair


Letter

Health Care Reform

January 22, 2008 - We analyzed certain fiscal issues related to the health care reform (HCR) plan currently under consideration by the Legislature. We estimated the fiscal impact of HCR using two different assumptions of premiums: $250 per month per person and $300 per month per person. Under the $250 premium scenario there are sufficient revenues to support the program in the first year of operation (2010-11). However, by the fifth year of the program, annual costs exceed revenues by $300 million. Despite annual costs exceeding revenues in the fifth year, the program still has a positive cumulative fund balance because the collection of tobacco tax and employer fees start before program costs are incurred. Under the $300 premium assumption, costs exceed revenues by $122 million in the first year of operation and this shortfall increases to $1.5 billion by the fifth year of the program. In addition, the fund balance shows a deficit of almost $4 billion by the end of that period, even with the early collection of the tobacco tax and employer fees. In addition to the premium level, we have identified a number of other fiscal risks and uncertainties which could negatively affect the fiscal solvency of the plan by more than an additional $1.5 billion annually.


Handout

Special Session Guide to Building the Proposition 98 Budget

January 22, 2008 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 On Education Finance


Report

Redefining Student Data Access Policy

January 17, 2008 - Existing state and federal laws will limit the ability of California to use the state’s new longitudinal student data system once it is completed in 2010. To ensure the full benefits of the new system can be achieved, we recommend the state adopt a new data access policy, expanding the capacity of instructors and policy makers to use student data to improve instruction while preserving student privacy protections.


Handout

Overview of Governor’s Proposition 98 Budget Proposal

January 16, 2008 - Presented to Legislative staff and education community.


Other

Webcast: Overview of the Governor’s Budget, 2008-09

January 14, 2008 - Elizabeth Hill's Initial Assessment of the 2008-09 Governor's Budget.


Report

Overview of the Governor’s Budget: 2008-09

January 14, 2008 - The Governor has put forward an aggressive agenda for the special session and the 2008–09 budget. The Legislature should focus first on those areas where time is of the essence—where early decisions will allow state programs to achieve desired savings in the current year. The special session should also be used to lay the groundwork for achieving budget–year savings—for instance, by developing any program restructurings and taking any necessary actions on the current–year Proposition 98 minimum guarantee. In contrast to the Governor’s approach of across–the–board reductions, in our view the Legislature should (1) eliminate or further reduce low–priority programs in order to minimize the impact on higher priority programs and (2) examine additional revenue options as part of a more balanced approach. Making tough choices now will allow the state to move closer to bringing its long–term spending and revenues into alignment.


Letter

Disaster Assistance

January 3, 2008 - With the recent Southern California wildfires, there has been significant interest in the programs that are available to help disaster victims. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information on the programs and funds available to deal with state disasters. We provide links to more specific information, such as program eligibility and rules.


Handout

Overview of Proposition 1D: K-12 School Facilites

December 13, 2007 - Presented to: Assembly Education Committee


Handout

K-12 School Facilities: Issues for Legislative Consideration

December 13, 2007 - Presented to: Assembly Education Committee