Explainer Making Sense of California’s Economy By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune, Vicki Hsieh Jan 16, 2024 We take a look at where California's economy has been, where it might be headed, and how we can better insulate Californians against future upheavals.
blog post What’s in Store for California’s Economy? By Sarah Bohn Jan 10, 2024 California starts the year with low unemployment, rising wages, and falling inflation—but also with residents expressing pessimism about the state's economic outlook. We look at what's ahead for the California economy.
Report Policies for Creating and Keeping Jobs in California By David Neumark, Emma Wohl Dec 13, 2023 State efforts to spur job creation include 21 programs ranging from tax credits to worker training. Three policies offer strong evidence indicating they create jobs or increase employment in California. New programs—and programs with weak evidence—need to have built-in features that allow deeper evaluation.
Report A Hiring Incentive that Works: The California Competes Tax Credit By David Neumark, Matthew Freedman, Benjamin Hyman, Shantanu Khanna Dec 13, 2023 Established in 2013, the California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) boosts firm employment and payroll growth within California by as much as 30 percent within three years. This growth benefits a wide range of workers and is greater in parts of the state with higher levels of poverty and unemployment.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Policies for Creating and Keeping Jobs in California By David Neumark, Emma Wohl, Stephanie Barton Dec 13, 2023 California offers 21 programs intended to add jobs or grow employment. Which policies work and how well? Three programs show strong evidence for creating jobs or increasing employment; others show mixed evidence or are too new to be evaluated. The state should consider expanding effective programs and build features to better evaluate the others.
Fact Sheet Financing California’s Public Schools By Julien Lafortune Nov 29, 2023 K–12 funding has been at record-high levels in recent years, and California’s per student spending is now slightly above the national average. Spending is higher for low-income students, English Learners, and foster youth. However, enrollment declines, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic funding pose fiscal challenges for school districts.
Report Understanding the Reach of the California Earned Income Tax Credit By Tess Thorman Nov 13, 2023 State-designed and -funded tax credits for low-income families are a small but growing part of California’s anti-poverty portfolio. As policymakers explore ways to refine, increase, and supplement the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), they could benefit from knowing more about where and when the CalEITC and similar credits are claimed.
Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
blog post Soft Landing? What the Latest Data Says about California’s Economy By Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn Oct 30, 2023 New jobs data suggests that taming inflation has not hurt the state's labor market much. While unemployment in California has increased slowly since a low in August 2022, the state's labor market still shows many markers of strength.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas Sep 26, 2023 PPIC's latest survey finds that almost nine in ten Californians believe there is a mental health crisis in the US. Also, most Californians are now less comfortable making a major purchase like a home or a car compared to six months ago.