Policy Brief Policy Brief: Labor Force Participation in California By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ... Feb 14, 2024 California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?
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?
Report California’s Future Workforce: Will There Be Enough College Graduates? By Deborah Reed Dec 7, 2008 Over the past several decades, the demand in California for college-educated workers has grown. But the supply of college graduates has not kept pace with demand, and it appears that this “workforce skills gap” will not only continue but widen. This study examines the causes, magnitude, and likely consequences of the potential mismatch between the level of education the future population is likely to possess and the level of education demanded by the future economy. The author concludes that if current trends continue, California will experience a serious shortfall of college graduates by 2025, unable to meet its needs even through the migration of college graduates from other states.
Occasional Paper, Report The Wellsprings of California’s Economic Growth: Myths and Realities By David W. Lyon May 14, 1998 Speech presented to the Japan America Society, California-Japan 2010 Symposium, Los Angeles, California, May 14, 1998, and to the Economic Development Administration, Western Region Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, May 28, 1998.
Fact Sheet Who Are California’s Workers? By Tess Thorman, Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn Jan 26, 2024 Most of California’s 19 million workers earn wages or salaries. Californians work in a variety of occupations and sectors, and wages vary widely across regions and demographic groups.
Fact Sheet California’s Businesses By Shannon McConville, Jane Sawerengera, Sarah Bohn Jan 26, 2024 Most California businesses are small, and most Californians are employed by small businesses. About 28% of the state’s businesses are family owned. Business ownership does not mirror California’s demographic makeup.
Report California’s Need for Skilled Workers By Sarah Bohn Sep 17, 2014 If recent trends continue, California is likely to face a shortage of workers with some college education but less than a bachelor’s degree by 2025. State and federal policymakers have increased their focus on boosting educational opportunities for this segment of the workforce. This report examines labor market outcomes among workers with some college training to shed light on the types of jobs that hold the most promise for future workers and the state economy.
Occasional Paper, Report The Economic Effects of Mandated Wage Floors By David Neumark Feb 20, 2004 Presentation at forum: "Living Wage: What Business Groups Need to Know," U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C., February 20, 2004
Report Income Inequality and the Safety Net in California By Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn May 19, 2016 Income inequality has been growing for decades, in California and the nation as a whole. In recent years, inequality—and the role of policy in addressing it—has become a major focus of public debate. This report documents the polarization of incomes across the state and shows how social safety net programs mitigate inequality.
Report Local Economic Development in Southern California’s Suburbs: 1990-1997 By Max Neiman, Gregory Andranovich, Kenneth Fernandez Dec 1, 2000 In the recession of the early 1990s, California’s cities and counties scrambled to attract and retain businesses, and several cities lavished public resources on private projects that showed little promise of benefiting those communities. Partly in response to these high-profile cases, Governor Davis signed a law to limit competition among localities for big box retailers and auto malls. Despite the media attention given to these cases and the subsequent legislative action, there has been little research on competition among localities for economic development. In this monograph, the authors use detailed survey data to characterize local economic development policy in Southern California. They also address apprehensions over local competition for economic development and reframe the regulation debate in terms of the state-local power balance.
