6 Key Measures of California's Fiscal Health 2017-18
http://www.moorlach.cssrc.us/content/6-key-measures-californias-fiscal-health-2017-18
State Senator John Moorlach (CA 37th Dist.)
1. California's Net Financial Position
California's "net" financial position is a $169 billion deficit ($4,375 per person) according to the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report(link is external) (CAFR).
This figure should be positive for healthy organizations. It is derived by tallying the state government's assets (monetary funds, investments, buildings, roadways, bridges, parks, etc.) and subtracting its obligations. The last positive position California had was during Governor Pete Wilson's final term where the state had $1.5 billion in net assets.
California is now ranked the worst state, below Illinois, whose net position is a negative $143 billion (link is external), or $11,174 per person. Illinois' finances are so bad (link is external), they're telling lottery winners that they have to delay their payments.
Deferred maintenance for the state's roads and highways is some $59 billion.
2. Estimates of California Unfunded Pension Liabilities
CalPERS (link is external): $ 114.5 billion
CalSTRS (link is external): $ 76.2 billion
UC Pensions (link is external)(UCR): $ 12.1 billion
NOTE: For the 2015/16 fiscal year, CalPERS planned for a 7.5% rate of return, but only managed a 0.6% rate of return (link is external).
A lower rate means the pension system anticipates earning less on investments and consequently will need more from employer contributions.
3. Current Unfunded Retiree Medical Liability
California has the nation's highest unfunded retiree medical liability (link is external) at $74.1 billion.
4. California's Transportation Infrastructure
* California's 57 cent/gallon gas taxes are the nation's 4th highest (link is external). When cap and trade taxes are added (link is external), California has the nation's second highest taxes behind Pennsylvania (link is external).
* California spends 3 times the national average (link is external) on maintenance per mile of roadway, yet California's roads rate among the nation's worst in pavement condition and congestion.
* In the 6 years following the Great Recession, California's gas tax revenue grew by $1.75 billion, while road spending remained stagnant (Board of Equalization Data (link is external)).
5. California's Business & Economic Competitiveness
* California has the nation's highest income taxes. California also has the highest corporate tax in the Western United States. According to the Tax Foundation's 2016 Facts and Figures (link is external), California is ranked 48th overall.
* The governor raised the minimum wage earlier this year to $15 per hour. His own estimates show that it will cost the budget $4 billion per year in additional personnel costs (link is external).
* For the 12th year in a row, California was named the worst state for business in a survey of 500 CEOs by Chief Executive Magazine (link is external).
6. Pension Crisis is the Elephant in the Room
* Late last year, CalPERS cut pension benefits for the first time (link is external).
* Expanding pension costs are being filled by hidden taxes (link is external).
* Lackluster investment returns are forcing CalPERS to re-evaluate the validity of their assumptions(link is external) and admit investments alone may not be enough to cover pension costs.
* While many other states have pension problems, California is at crisis level.
The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. ~ D.H. Lawrence
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