Budget

• Budget "Cuts" -- The Sacramento View and Taxpayer Perspective. (January '07)
• Stabilizing the California State Budget for Economic Growth. (January '07)
• California's Structural Budget Deficit: Eliminate Massive Fraud and Waste. March 2006
• Era of Reform Means End to Reckless Spending. January 2005
• Cal-Tax Perspectives on the State Budget Deficit
• Governor's Tough Task: Finding the Waste to Cut. Budget Can be Shrunk -- But by $10 Billion? by Robert Salladay from the San Francisco Chronicle, November 27, 2003.
• Can California's Money Mess Be Fixed? by Dennis Cauchon from USA TODAY, October 1, 2003.
• It's Not Really a Bond Debt, State Says by Kathleen Pender from the San Francisco Chronicle, August 10, 2003.
• Budget: Assembly Passes Overdue $99.1 Billion Budget in Marathon Session; Plan Papers Over Much of the Deficit. (Summer '03)
  By David R. Doerr and Ron Roach
• Bad Moves, Not Economy, Behind Busted State Budgets: Governors, Legislators Failed to Act Quickly When Boom Began to Fade, Analysis Finds by Paul Overberg from USA Today, June 23, 2003.
• New Fees May Skirt Tax Vote by Evan Halper from the Los Angeles Times, April 23, 2003.
• Swarm of State Fees Proposed. Consumers to Feel Sting of Attempt to Reduce Huge Deficit by Robert Salladay from the San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 2003.
• New Taxes Proposed for State's Residents by Chris Weinkopf from the Los Angeles Daily News, April 12, 2003.
• Assault on State's Taxpayers is the Wrong Answer. (April '03)
  By Larry McCarthy
• A High Price for Delay on Budget by Evan Halper and Jeffrey L. Rabin from the Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2003.
• We Will Run Out of Cash by Timm Herdt from the Ventura County Star, March 19, 2003.
• 8% Solution for Tardy Budgeteers. (Spring '03)
  By Joel Fox
• Budget Balanced on Faulty Figures by Jeffrey L. Rabin from the Los Angeles Times, February 23, 2003.
• Cal-Tax Budget Analysis. Governor's Budget: Cuts, Tax Hikes and a Lot of Criticism, by the Cal-Tax staff.
• New Analysis Doubts Size of State's Deficit, by Hanh Kim Quach from the Orange County Register, January 14, 2003.
• Cal-Tax: California Needs Economic Stimulus and Financial Management, Not Higher Taxes, by Larry McCarthy, a press release January 10, 2003.
• Cal-Tax: Sales Tax Increase is a Wrong Move, by Larry McCarthy, a press release January 9, 2003.
• Governor's Budget: Cuts, Tax Hikes and a Lot of Criticism. (January '03)
  By The Cal-Tax Staff
• Boom and Bust by John Hill from the Sacramento Bee, December 30, 2002.
• Business Tax Breaks Face State Scrutiny by Gary Delsohn from the Sacramento Bee, December 29, 2002.
• Lawmakers Divided on Tax Hikes by Alexa H. Bluth from the Los Angeles Daily News, December 14, 2002.
• Better Business Climate will Aid State's Woes by State Senator Chuck Poochigian from the Fresno Bee, December 10, 2002.
• Governor's Shortfall Proposals from the Senate Republican Caucus, released December 9, 2002.
• Budget Crisis Underscores Needed Reform. (December '02)
  By Joe Canciamilla
• Taxpayer Perspectives on the $21 Billion State Budget Deficit. (December '02)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Executive Order to state agencies from Governor Davis to reduce state spending.
  November 26, 2002
• State Spent Its Way Into Budget Crisis. October 29, 2002
  By Jeffrey L. Rabin
• No Budget Relief Ahead, State Senate Leader Says. September 4, 2002
  San Diego Union-Tribune
• 2002 California Budget Enacts Tax Law Changes. (September '02)
  By Chris Micheli
• 2002 California Budget Enacts Tax Law Changes. (September '02)
  By Chris Micheli
• Candy Over Compromise, Act II. (August '02)
  By Tim Leslie
• Cal-Tax: State Budget Process is Taxpayers' Nightmare. (August '02)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Strong Economy is Overlooked Solution to Budget Shortfall. (July '02)
  By Allan Zaremberg
• Chris Rizo: Tax Hikes Could Delay Recovery (June 5, 2002)
• Only Economic Growth Will Solve California's Budgetary Woes. (June '02)
  By Jack M. Stewart
• It's the Spending, Stupid. (June '02)
  By Tom McClintock
• Sacramento Bee: State Budget Deficit Grows (April 23, 2002)
  The shortfall is now $20 billion as tax receipts trail estimates.
• Los Angeles Times: Forecast Shows Muted Recovery (March 27, 2002)

• Cal-Tax Digest
  • Cal-Tax: State Budget Process is Taxpayers' Nightmare. By Larry McCarthy, Cal-Tax president.
  • The Dangers of Temporary Tax Increases. By David R. Doerr, Cal-Tax chief tax consultant.
  • Strong Economy is Overlooked Solution to Budget Shortfall. By Allan Zaremberg, president, California Chamber of Commerce.
  • Is There Still Fraudulent or Reckless Spending of Tax Dollars in California? By The Cal-Tax Staff.
  • It's the Spending, Stupid. By Tom McClintock, State Senator.
  • The Accountability Files (June 2002).

• Comments from Cal-Tax
  • Cal-Tax: Reaction to State Budget May Revision
  • It's a Spending Crisis. By Greg Turner.
  • Zero Base Budgeting
    Here is a brief explanation of what zero base budgeting is.
  • Cal-Tax Digest
    • Smart Response to the State Budget Deficit - Faster Economic Recovery. By Larry McCarthy.
  • Cal-Tax Letter to Governor Gray Davis December 4, 2001.
    This is an overview of Cal-Tax's recommendations, as expressed in communications with the governor and all members of the state Legislature. Policy-makers are urged to adopt strategies that make California more competitive for jobs and to meet priority spending needs. Attachments:
    • A Sample of Fiscal Bills Signed by the Governor in 2001 that are Candidates for Potential Deferral
      Listed are 32 bills that total $1.38 billion.
    • Other Potential Budget Reductions or Deferrals
      Here are eight programs, spending proposals or management reforms that amount to at least $1.7 billion in possible savings.
  • The Accountability Files
    Here is a brief summary of more than $6 billion in wasted or questionable spending by California state and local governments, and schools. There are 130 cases based mainly on newspaper reports over the past three years. For more detailed accounts, including newspapers acknowledged for their reporting, see The Accountability Files at Cal-Tax Online.

• California Community Correctional Facilities (CCCF) Orange County Register: April 26, 2002. "The Davis administration believes that shifting the inmates to government-run prisons would save the state an estimated $5 million a year,'' according to AP. But the California Taxpayers Association estimates it really would cost the state $16 million a year. Given the governor's faulty math on the budget, we'll go with Cal-Tax."
   
  • Cal-Tax Digest: Spending $16 Million to Save $5 Million: Closing California's Five Privately Owned Prisons is Nonsense
  • Cal-Tax Letter to the California State Legislature Opposing the Closing of Private Community Corrections Facilities
  • Orange County Register: It's Time to Cut Big Chunks From Budget
  • Los Angeles Times: State Prison System $277 Million in the Red
  • The Press Enterprise: Desert Prison Wanted
  • San Diego Union Tribune: Senate Subcommittee Rejects Davis' New Prison Plan
  • San Diego Union Tribune: Loss of Inmate Crew Would Leave L.A.-Vegas Stretch Without Aid
  • San Diego Union-Tribune: Big Pay Back: Davis Makes Sop to Prison Guards' Union
  • Los Angeles Times: Davis to Close State's Privately Run Prisons

• Taxpayers Urge Common Sense. (January '02)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Governor Proposes Tax Law Changes. (January '02)
  By Chris Micheli
• Davis Budget Deficit Plan: No New Taxes Needed or Desired. (January '02)
  By the Cal-Tax staff
• Budget Banks on Rebounding Economy to Avoid Draconian Cuts. (January '02)
  By B. Timothy Gage
• State Budget Rises, Falls With Taxes Paid by the Rich. (January '02)
  By Daniel Weintraub.
• Smart Response to the State Budget Deficit -- Faster Economic Recovery (December '01)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Taxpayers' Perspective of the Budget Problem. (December '01)
  By The Cal-Tax Staff
• Economics and Psychology Needed to Explain Taxpayer Behavior (December '01)
  By David R. Doerr
• State's Budget Woes: Triple Whammy (October '01)
  By David R. Doerr
• Candy Over Compromise (September '01)
  By Tim Leslie
• The 2001-02 State Budget Helps Taxpayers (September '01)
  By Tim Gage
• State Budget Lowers Farmers' Taxes; Woos GOP Votes (September '01)
  By The Cal-Tax Staff
• Davis: Break Out the Umbrellas (June '01)
  By The Cal-Tax Staff
• The Governor's Budget (February '01)
  By Tim Gage
• Modest Tax Cuts in New State Budget Proposal (February '01)
  By The Cal-Tax Staff
• School Teachers Prevail in State Fiscal Free-for-All (November '00)
  By David R. Doerr
• California Budget Tax Package - 2000-01 (September '00)
  By David R. Doerr, Lisa Martin and Chris Micheli
• Exploring the Gann Limit: Then and Now (July '00)
  By Lisa Martin
• State Budget: Clearly, Education Comes First (June '00)
  By Tim Gage
• Revised Davis Budget Plan Deals with $12.3 Billion Surplus (June '00)
  By Ron Roach and Lisa Martin
• Spending Limits in Era of Record Revenues (June '00)
  By Stephen Kroes
• Fiscal Good Times, Taxes and a Split Roll? (May '00)
  Senator Steve Peace and Senator Jim Brulte 
  at the Cal-Tax Members Meeting
• A Perspective on California's Extraordinary Recent Revenue Performance (April '00)
  By the Legislative Analyst's Office
• A Prosperous State with Another Huge Surplus (February '00)
  By Lisa Martin and Ron Roach
• State Budget: Moving in the Right Direction (February '00)
  By Larry McCarthy
• A Budget Perfect for the Times: Education is Foremost (February '00)
  By Tim Gage
• California Budget Accord Provides Tax Relief (September '99)
  By Chris Micheli
• A Budget of Higher Expectations (June '99)
  By Tim Gage
• Senate Republican Budget Plan: Rebuild Roads, Make College Affordable, Aid Local Government, Cut Taxes (June '99)
  By Ross Johnson
• Local Government Dollar Demand Bogs Down State-Local Fiscal Reform (June '99)
  By David R. Doerr
• Budget Surplus and the Economy (June '99)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Davis: NO on Higher Taxes, Period (May '99)
• A 1999-00 Budget for Higher (Education) Expectations (February '99)
  By Ron Roach, Lisa Martin and Steve Kroes
• Budget Gridlock: Rival Views on 2/3 Vote -- The Case for a Simple Majority (October '98)
  By Bob Monagan, Alan Post and Alex Pope
• Budget Gridlock: Rival Views on 2/3 Vote -- The Case for a Super Majority (October '98)
  By Bill Leonard
• Legislature Passes Tax-Cutting Budget (September '98)
  by Ron Roach
• Legislature Passes Tax-Cutting Budget (September '98)
  By Ron Roach
• VLF Debate: Junking the Car Tax (July '98)
  By Tom McClintock
• VLF Debate: Good News, Bad News (July '98)
  By Antonio R. Villaraigosa
• Where Did Windfall Come From? (June '98)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Setting California's Priorities - Better Schools, Lower Taxes (June '98)
  By Governor Pete Wilson
• Aggressive Action is Needed to Ensure Continued Economic Growth (March '98)
  By Craig L. Brown
• Governor's Budget: 'Prudent Investments in the Future' (February '98)
  By Ron Roach and Stephen Kroes
• California's Performance Budgeting Pilot Project: A View from the Legislature (February '98)
  By Craig Cornett
• Downsizing the California Parks and Recreation Department:
  Benefits to Taxpayers and the Parks (February '98)
  By Donald W. Murphy
• Budget Protects Taxpayers (September '97)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Wilson Signs Budget with Strategic Vetoes (September '97)
  By Ron Roach
• State Budget and Tax Relief Priorities (July '97)
  By Kirk West, William Campbell and Larry McCarthy
• If We Spend it All, a Deficit will Come (June '97)
  By Stephen Kroes
• May Budget Revise (June '97)
  By Ron Roach
• Governor's 1997-98 Budget: Economic Growth Fuels Revenue Growth (February '97)
  By Stephen Kroes
• State Budget Builds on Success (February '97)
  By Craig L. Brown
• New Dynamic Revenue Estimating Model: Not Quite What Anyone Expected (February '97)
  By Martin Helmke
• Governor's 1996-97 Budget (February 1996)
  Cal-Tax's annual look at the governor's budget proposal.
• The California Budget: Setting Priorities (July '96)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Good News: Robust Economy; Bad News: Efforts to Spend More on Government (June '96)
  By Larry McCarthy
• Wilson's Budget is Welcome News for Taxpayers, Job-Seekers and Job-Creators (January '96)
  By Larry McCarthy

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