Report Balancing Budgets and Need during Recessions: California’s Safety Net Programs By Patrick Murphy, Caroline Danielson, Shannon McConville, Jennifer Paluch Dec 2, 2019 During economic downturns, the state faces falling revenues and rising demand for safety net programs. In the last recession, California cut programs significantly. Next time, what steps can policymakers take to support those in need, while still balancing the budget?
blog post Is Agrivoltaics Right for California? By Sarah Bardeen Oct 3, 2023 Agrivoltaics—the practice of using the same piece of land simultaneously for agriculture and solar power generation—has enjoyed a lot of positive press lately. But is it right for California? We spoke with two experts with very different views on the subject.
blog post Californians Want the Government to Do More about Drought, Wildfires, and Climate Change By Deja Thomas, Caitlin Peterson Aug 8, 2022 Californians voiced continued concern over water supply, wildfire, and climate issues in this year’s survey on the environment. And while actions are underway, many think that the state could do more to combat these issues swiftly.
Report Funding California Schools When Budgets Fall Short By Julien Lafortune, Radhika Mehlotra, Jennifer Paluch Oct 5, 2020 Even as districts prioritize safety amid COVID-19, they face hard choices as they try to maintain services and balance budgets. By examining district reserves and spending, this report aims to understand how the Great Recession affected K–12 funding and how prepared districts are now to manage future cuts.
Report School Budgets and Student Achievement in California: The Principal’s Perspective By Jon Sonstelie, Peter Richardson, Heather Rose Jun 24, 2004 School Budgets and Student Achievement in California: The Principals’ Perspective presents the results of school budget workshops with 45 principals from representative schools across the state. Principals were given three different budgets and asked to allocate resources so as to maximize student performance at two schools, one with a more disadvantaged student body than the other. In addition to documenting resource allocation strategies, the report finds that principals associated higher funding levels and student socioeconomic status with better academic performance. It also finds that more than half the principals thought that the disadvantaged school would not meet the state’s rigorous academic standards even with significantly higher budgets. Although allocations and performance predictions differed, the average responses offer tangible and whole representations of what certain funding levels might buy as well as the perceived efficacy of individual resources.
Fact Sheet Groundwater Recharge in California By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan, Ellen Hanak Aug 30, 2021 Groundwater recharge can replenish overdrafted basins, and help California adapt to greater climate extremes.
blog post Testimony: Funding to Promote Drought Resilience By Ellen Hanak Mar 27, 2014 PPIC senior fellow Ellen Hanak gave the Assembly Budget Subcommittee for Resources and Transportation an overview of state and federal emergency drought funding and suggested other fiscal measures that the legislature should consider to make California more drought resilient.
blog post Lessons on Sustaining the Environment During Drought By Jeffrey Mount Jun 23, 2016 Lessons from Australia on improving water management for the environment—and reducing conflict—during drought.
blog post How Water Agencies Could Catalyze Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic Aug 2, 2021 Forest managers, community and environmental stakeholders, and policymakers alike have called for an increase in the pace and scale of proactive forest management to prevent extreme wildfires. Could water agencies lead the effort?
Occasional Paper, Report Local Budgets and Tax Policies in California and U.S. Cities: Surveys of City Officials By Mark Baldassare, Christopher Hoene Dec 3, 2004 Presented at the National League of Cities Congress of Cities and Exposition, Session on Taxing Choices: Local and State Responses to Tax and Spending Limits in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 3, 2004.
