blog post Governor’s Funding Plan for Climate, Drought By Caitrin Chappelle, Jelena Jezdimirovic Jan 24, 2017 A summary of key proposals in the governor’s proposed budget that reaffirm the state’s commitment to boosting drought resiliency and battling climate change.
Report Preparing for California’s Next Recession By Patrick Murphy, Jennifer Paluch, Radhika Mehlotra May 29, 2019 California is enjoying one of the longest growth periods in history and appears well-prepared to endure a mild economic downturn. But a more severe crisis would exhaust current reserves, decrease school funding, and open a significant budget gap for several years. What steps can the state be taking to prepare for and minimize these outcomes?
blog post A Reality Check on Groundwater Overdraft in the San Joaquin Valley By Jelena Jezdimirovic, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Mar 11, 2020 A look at new plans for managing groundwater sustainably in the San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest farming region.
Report Declining Enrollment in California Schools: Fiscal Challenges and Opportunities in the Coming Decade By Paul Warren, Julien Lafortune Feb 12, 2020 Statewide K–12 enrollment is projected to fall 7% over the next 10 years. Districts with declining enrollment face fiscal pressures, as state funding is tied to the number of students they serve. Enrollment declines also have important implications for the state budget.
blog post Starting the Year with Less (Real) Money By Sarah Bohn, Julien Lafortune Jan 21, 2022 Over the last two years combined, prices have increased more than 8%. The impact on family economic well-being is especially large for those at the lower end of the income spectrum.
Report Funding Formulas for California Schools IV: An Analysis of Governor Brown’s Weighted Pupil Funding Formula, May Budget Revision By Jon Sonstelie, Heather Rose, Margaret Weston May 29, 2012 In May 2012, Governor Brown revised his proposal for a new way to allocate revenue to California’s school districts. This report uses the PPIC School Finance Model to asses this revision. It finds that the proposed changes would lead to less funding for disadvantaged students and reduce the differences in funding gains among districts relative to the January proposal. This research was supported with funding from The Silver Giving Foundation and the Stuart Foundation.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jun 5, 2023 Californians name economic conditions, homelessness, and housing as the most important issues facing the state today. A majority of Californians favor changing state environmental regulations as a way to increase housing affordability.
blog post Video: Californians and Their Government By Vicki Hsieh Feb 10, 2023 Researchers Rachel Lawler and Dean Bonner discuss key takeaways from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines the top issues for Californians in 2023, views on homelessness and housing affordability, the level of support for the governor’s proposed state budget, and other topics.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on California’s Fiscal System By Mark Baldassare Jan 15, 2004 This survey – the second in a series of special surveys on the California state budget and fiscal system, conducted in collaboration with The James Irvine Foundation – is a special edition of the PPIC Statewide Survey. The intent of this series is to raise public awareness, inform decisionmakers, and stimulate public discussion about the current state budget and the underlying state and local finance system. Some findings of the current survey 64% of likely voters currently approve of the way Arnold Schwarzenegger is handling his job as governor of California. 58% of likely voters disapprove of the way the California legislature is handling the state budget and taxes. 73% of likely voters think the state government in Sacramento can be trusted to do what is right only some of the time or none of the time; 93% think that the people in state government waste some or a lot of taxpayers’ money. Currently, only 35% of likely voters would vote yes on Proposition 57 — the $15 billion Economic Recovery Bond Act on the March 2nd primary ballot. 57% of likely voters would vote yes on Proposition 58, which would require the state to pass a balanced budget, address fiscal emergencies, and establish a budget reserve. (Prop. 58 can take effect only if Prop. 57 is approved.)