California State Budget
January 2005
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LIBRARY
Institute of Governmental Studies
University of California
109 Moses Hall #2370
Berkeley, CA 94720-2370
510-642-1472 (voice)
510-643-0866 (fax)
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Try these sources for local government budget data:
- Official Websites. Check the official website of the jurisdiction. Might have the budget full-text and/or offer other budget information.
- Search for Web addresses in the directories listed in the IGS Library's California Local Government Information Website, or do a Google search.
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- IGS Library's Collection of City/County Budgets. The IGS Library has a large collection of annual city and county budgets. Request them at the IGS Library, and they will be available the next day from the Northern Regional Library Storage Facility in Richmond, where they are stored.
- Consolidated Annual Financial Reports. The State Controller's Office collects revenue and expenditure data on local jurisdictions, and issues the data in consolidated annual financial reports. There are reports for cities, counties, special districts, school districts, etc. The latest reports cover the 2000-01 fiscal year.
- Online from the mid to late 1990s.
- Statewide Organizations and Professional Societies Representing Local Governments and Agencies. Cities and counties, as well as many types of agencies and departments (e.g., police and fire) have organizations that represent their interests to the state and the public. Check their websites for information about budget issues involving your type of jurisdiction/agency.
- The IGS Library maintains a list of the major organizations on its California Local Government Information Website.
- Official Budget Documents. The annual California state budget is typically issued in three documents:
- Governor's Budget
- Governor's Budget Summary
- Salaries and Wages Supplement
- Data is typically presented in three columns: the third column is the governor's projected budget figure for the coming fiscal year. The other two columns are actual figures for the previous two fiscal years.
- Available in print at the IGS Library (lastest on Reference). and at the Main Library (HJ11.C245, HJ11.C2465, HJ11.C2451, latest in Doe Reference). Online at the Department of Finance website from 2000-01.
Note: Governor's Schwarzenegger's proposed 2004-05 and 2005-06 budgets
are available online only.
- Budget Analysis from the LAO. The Legislative Analyst's Office, an arm of the state legislature, provides independent analysis of the governor's budget in a series of recurring publications. These include:
- Analysis of the Budget Bill
- Budget: Perspectives and Issues
- Overview of the Governor's Budget
- May Revision Overview
- State Spending Plan
- Available in print at the IGS Library and the Main Library, and online from 2000-01 at the LAO website. The IGS Library keeps print copies the latest Analysis of the Budget Bill and Budget: Perspectives and Issues on reference.
- The
Budget Process: a Citizen's Guide to Participation.
Sacramento, Calif.: Senate Publications, May 2000. 19 p.
- Cummins, Diane.
"Taking the Mystery Out of California's Budget Process," Western City,
v. 76, no.2 (Feb. 2000), p. 5-9, 37.
- Ibid.
"Taking the Mystery Out of California's Budget Process," Pt. 2, Western
City, v. 76, no.3 (Mar. 2000), p. 20-23.
- Dollars
and Democracy: an Advocate's Guide to the California Budget Process.
Sacramento, Calif.: California Budget Project, Mar. 1999. 50 p.
- California's
Tax System: a Primer. Sacramento, Calif.: Legislative Analyst's Office,
2001. 64 p.
- DeBow, Ken; Syer, John C.
"Budgetary Politics in California." In: Power and Politics in California. 5t ed. Boston: Allyn &Bacon, 1977, p. 199-219.
- Krolak, Richard
California's Budget Dance: Issues & Process. 2nd ed. Sacramento, Calif.:
California Journal Press, 1994. 150 p.
See these Hot Topics prepared by the IGS Library:
- Constitutional Reform and the California Budget Process. Sept. 2003.
- Includes excerpts of reform proposals from various commissions.
- Debt, Borrowing and Balanced Budgets in California. Jan. 2004.
- Includes information on measures appearing on the March 2004 primary election ballot: Propostion 56 ("Budget Accountability Act)", Proposition 57 ("Economic Recovery Bond Act") and proposition 58 ("California Balanced Budget Act").
- Tax and Expenditure Limitation in California. Dec. 2003.
- Includes information and links on Proposition 13, the 1978 property tax limitation initiative.
See also these related Hot Topics:
- California Vehicle License Fee. Nov. 2003.
- Sales Tax on Services. Sept. 2003.
For information and on-going
analyses of the California budget crisis the following websites will be good
places to consult for up-to-date developments:
- CalNews.Com
- California
Budget Project
- California
Taxpayers Association
- California
Legislative Analyst's Office
- California.
Dept. of Finance, Budget Documents
- Los
Angeles Times
- Rough
and Tumble
- San
Francisco Chronicle
- San
Jose Mercury News
- Sacramento
Bee