http://www.lao.ca.govThe latest Publications, Initiatives and Propositions from the Legislative Analyst's OfficePublications/HandoutsThis report analyzes the design of the cap-and-trade program as adopted by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). This new, complex program is part of the state's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide to 1990 levels by 2020—a goal set by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (commonly referred to as AB 32). The report examines in detail the specific policy choices made by the ARB in the design of the program, some specific policy trade-offs inherent in those decisions, and options for program design changes that the Legislature may wish to make depending on its policy priorities. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2559http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2559Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsGovernor's Proposed Budget Augmentation for Inmate Pharmaceuticalshttp://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2560http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2560Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsThe Governor’s budget reduces funding for state financial aid programs by over $300 million. At the same time, it generally maintains or augments funding for the public colleges and universities in 2012-13; reduces budgetary controls on their spending; and commits to annual funding increases in subsequent years, contingent on their meeting undefined performance targets. Furthermore, higher education funding would be subject to “trigger cuts” if the Governor’s proposed tax increases are not approved by voters in November. This report makes a number of recommendations for legislative consideration, including alternative ways to reduce financial aid costs that would have better outcomes for students and the state. The report also urges caution in relaxing budgetary controls in higher education, and identifies alternative ways to structure trigger cuts in order to reduce uncertainty and disruption in higher education programs. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2558http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2558Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsThis report analyzes the Governor's Proposition 98 budget package, including his basic budget plan and back-up plan as well as his multiyear plan to retire the "Wall of Debt" as it pertains to outstanding education obligations. The report makes a number of recommendations, including designating new revenues for paying down existing K-14 payment deferrals; replacing the education mandate system with a discretionary block grant; adopting some version of the Governor’s K-12 funding restructuring proposal, with general spending requirements that districts dedicate additional resources to their disadvantaged students; expanding community college categorical flexibility; canceling initiation of the transitional kindergarten program scheduled to begin in 2012-13; and prioritizing access to subsidized preschool for affected low-income children. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2556http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2556Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsWe will release publications aimed at addressing the 2012-13 budget situation. These will include all major areas of the budget, including Proposition 98 and K-12 Education, Higher Education, Health, Social Services, Resources, Transportation, and Criminal Justice.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2553http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2553Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsAssembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 On Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation. Hon. Bob Blumenfield, Chair.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2557http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2557Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsAs part of legislation authorizing seven local governments to participate in a pilot program regarding electronic filing of Statements of Economic Interests forms, the Legislature requested our office to evaluate the pilot program. This report presents our findings.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2555http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2555Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsThe 1992 legislation that authorized charter schools in California created a funding model intended to provide charter schools with the same per-pupil operational funding as received by other schools in the same school district. The state subsequently modified this policy in 1998, enacting legislation specifying that “charter school operational funding shall be equal to the total funding that would be available to a similar school district serving a similar pupil population.” This policy remains in place. In this report, we assess whether operational funding received by charter schools and their school district peers is comparable. We (1) describe the funding models used for charter schools and school districts, (2) compare funding rates for the two groups, and (3) provide recommendations to simplify the funding system, maximize flexibility for both school types, and equalize funding rates for charter schools under the current funding system or under a fundamentally restructured system.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2554http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2554Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsThe Governor’s proposed tax initiative is the cornerstone of his 2012-13 budget plan, which includes proposals to restructure education finance, reduce social services and child care programs substantially, and implement trigger cuts--primarily affecting schools--if voters do not approve the tax measure. The Governor’s plan would continue the difficult task of restoring the state budget to balance, but the difficulty in knowing how much taxable income will be attributable to high-income Californians makes the state’s revenue estimates an even bigger question mark than usual. With regard to the Governor’s major proposals, we think the Governor’s education restructuring proposals would institute lasting improvements to the system, and we observe that, while his social services and child care proposals have merit, they involve considerable drawbacks as well, given potentially severe impacts on affected families. Moreover, while the Governor’s tax initiative would improve the financial outlook of public education over the next several years, his trigger plan would create significant uncertainty for educational institutions in their planning for 2012-13. The Legislature needs to be very deliberate in structuring a workable trigger package and designing tools to help schools respond to potential trigger cuts. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2552http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=2552Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTPublications/HandoutsWho Pays Education Costs at California’s Public Colleges and Universities? (updated November 2009). This is one of a series of issue briefs examining important questions about higher education funding in California. For more information on this topic, or to request other briefs from this series, contact the Legislative Analyst’s Office Higher Education section at (916) 319-8349, or visit our Web site at www.lao.ca.gov/highered.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=1199http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/PubDetails.aspx?id=1199Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure increases rates on the vast majority of Californian personal income taxpayers and uses the funds for schools, ECE programs, and state debt-service payments. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=968http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=968Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsStarting July 1, 2013, this measure would impose a severance tax of 12.5 percent on the value of all oil and natural gas extracted in California or its state offshore waters, which extend out three miles from the coastline. Oil and natural gas produced in federal waters would be exempt from the tax. The tax would be administered by the State Board of Equalization.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=969http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=969Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure supersedes existing law regarding the inclusion of the contributions of various groups in school curricula and instructional materials.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=970http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=970Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure establishes the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Enforcement (BMME) within the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate the cultivation, distribution, and sales of medical marijuana. For example, the BMME would have the authority to regulate how medical marijuana dispensaries advertise, store, and transport medical marijuana.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=966http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=966Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure requires that GE foods sold at retail in the state be labeled as such in a way that is clear and conspicuous. Specifically, the measure requires that raw agricultural commodities (crops) produced entirely or in part through genetic engineering be labeled with the words “Genetically Engineered” on the front package or label.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=967http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=967Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure increases rates on the vast majority of Californian personal income taxpayers and uses the funds for schools, ECE programs, and debt service payments for education facilities. http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=965http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=965Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure restricts corporations with stockholders from making political contributions (for candidates, ballot measures, issue advocacy, and other political activities) unless the stockholders authorize the contributions.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=964http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=964Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure makes changes to the state’s constitutional spending limit and legislative vote requirements for certain tax increases.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=963http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=963Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsThis measure amends the Constitution to limit when the Legislature may hold sessions. Specifically, the Legislature would be limited each year to holding regular sessions in (1) a 30-day period beginning on the first Monday in January and (2) a 60-day period beginning on the first Monday in May.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=962http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=962Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMTInitiatives/PropositionsStarting with tax year 2012, the measure raises the PIT an additional 3 percent on the portion of a taxpayer’s income between $1 million and $2 million and 5 percent on any income above $2 million.http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=961http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/ballot_source/BalDetails.aspx?id=961Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT