Questions about the state budget are often similar. Answers to those asked most frequently are provided in California Budget Frequently Asked Questions.
The questions are answered primarily via point and click references to budget Summary Schedules, Charts, and a few other Budget-related documents. That is, most of the answers are not directly provided, but rather the answer should be apparent from the referenced material. In order to provide a more complete picture of the issues related to a question, several documents might be referenced — always in order of relevance. What may seem like a simple question often has a complicated answer, or several answers, none of which are necessarily the only answer. Some understanding of the state’s fund structure is essential to understanding the implications of many of the frequently asked budget questions. See Fund Conditions and Transfers/Loans.
The Summary Schedules are updated annually as part of the Governor’s Budget, while the Charts are updated twice a year, a few weeks after the Governor’s Budget is proposed on January 10 and Summary a few weeks after the Budget is enacted. Thus, some of the data, while the latest available, might be out of date.
In addition to the Summary Schedules, Charts, and the few other budget-related documents, which are the main sources used to answer the California Budget Frequently Asked Questions, considerable information is available in the Governor’s Budget Summary (www.ebudget.ca.gov). This document reflects the Administration’s goals and objectives for the forthcoming fiscal year, policy perspectives, and highlights of changes proposed in the Governor’s Budget.
Documents used to answer questions can be accessed on the Summary Schedules and Historical Charts page.