Inventory of the California Commission on State Finance Records

Processed by Justin Salenik
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2007
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the California Commission on State Finance Records

Collection number: R353

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California
Processed by:
Justin Salenik
Date Completed:
May 2007
Encoded by:
Sara Roberson
© 2007 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: California Commission on State Finance Records
Dates: 1980-1993
Collection number: R385
Creator: California State Finance Commission
Collection Size: 4 cubic feet
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The records of the Commission on State Finance consists of 4 cubic feet of textual records, 3 audiocassette tapes, and 8 projection slides covering the period 1980 through 1993. The files consist primarily of meeting agendas and minutes, reports, roll calls, correspondence and presentations.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

Records are open for research.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Commission on State Finance Records, R353.[Series Number], [box and folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition and Custodial History

The California State Archives acquired the Commission on State Finance Records according to state law.

Administrative History

The Commission on State Finance was formed in 1980 as a result of Senate Bill 165 (Chapter 1162 of Statutes 1979). An agency of State government, the Commission on State Finance began operating on January 1, 1980, with the objective of providing the Legislature and the Governor with quarterly forecasts of state revenues, current year expenditures and deficit surpluses, monthly reports on the economy and state tax collections, and annual long term forecasts on the same subjects. The Commission was composed of seven members: the State Treasurer, State Controller, Director of Finance, Speaker of the Assembly, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Assembly Minority Leader and Senate Minority Leader. To fulfill its duties the Commission was empowered to examine state agency records, hold hearings, conduct studies, and compile reports.
In the 1980s, the Legislature made two changes to the Commission's duties. In 1981, it was to compute the California Necessities Index (CNI) in order to determine cost of living adjustments for Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Supplemental Security Income benefits. The other change came in 1986 when the Commission was charged with the task of drafting a semi-annual report on the impact of federal expenditures in California.
In 1993, the Governor Pete Wilson used a line item veto to strip the Commission of funding and then vetoed a bill (AB1068) that would extend the Commission for five more years. The reason for this was that many of the Commission's duties duplicated those of the Legislative Analyst and Department of Finance. The Commission officially closed in February 1994.

Scope and Content

The records of the Commission on State Finance consists of 4 cubic feet of textual records, 3 audiocassette tapes, and 8 projection slides covering the period 1980 through 1993. The files consist primarily of meeting agendas and minutes, reports, roll calls, correspondence and presentations.
The scope of the textual records reflects the legislatively-mandated tasks the Commission performed during its existence. For example, meeting files show what took place at each meeting, report and presentation files show the forecasting work done by staff, and correspondence give a sense of the day-to-day operation of the Commission.
Most series contain reports issued by the Commission. These reports, forecast revenues and expenditures, summarize economic indicators and measure the impact of federal spending in California. The collection will be useful for researchers that are looking for data on California tax revenues and expenditures. Since the Commission was created in response to the revenue surplus created by Governor Jerry Brown, there is a historical context to the records that shows how state finance has evolved since 1980

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
California. Commission on State Finance
State finance report


ID R353.1, Box 1, Folders 1-50

Series 1 Meeting Files 1980-1993

Physical Description: 50 file folders and 3 audiocassette tapes

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Meeting files primarily contain meeting agendas and minutes. However, meeting files may additionally contain reports, proposed budgets, and other materials relevant to the work of the Commission. Meeting agendas outline the date and location of the Commission meeting and a general description of the topics to be discussed in the meeting. Minutes reflect the policy and administrative work of the Commission in relation to their official charters. Meeting minutes further elaborate on the specific topics outlined in the meeting agenda. Minutes also show the commission's oversight of specific projects undertaken by the Commission. The minutes generally contain a list of the commission members present at the meeting, reports from the chair and executive director of the Commission, and a detailed summary of the specific agenda items discussed during the Commission meeting.
There are three audio transcripts of Commission meetings: (A) one from a Federal Expenditure Report meeting on August 13, 1986. (B) The second is a Quarterly General Fund Forecast meeting from June 3, 1991. (C) The third is of a special meeting on State Accounting from May 8, 1989.
ID R353.2, Box 1, Folders 51-56

Series 2 Federal Expenditure Reports 1986-1993

Physical Description: 6 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

In 1985, AB 623 required the Commission to create an annual report that estimate the impact of selected federal expenditures on the General Fund and projects incoming federal expenditures. As defined by AB 623, federal expenditures are contract awards for defense, aerospace, research and construction. Also included are any funds for military bases or personnel. Grants and subsidies to individuals and local governments are excluded.
ID R353.3, Box 1, Folders 57-59

Series 3 General Fund Forecast Report 1980-1991

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This monthly report detailed the current state of General Fund revenues, expenditures and borrowing. Each report also provided a breakdown of spending in categories such as Medi-Cal, Education, and Welfare.
ID R353.4, Box 1, Folders 60-62

Series 4 Implicit Price Deflator Reports 1985-1992

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This monthly report was issued by the Commission to measure the changes in prices for purchase made by state and local government. Under state law, an increase in the deflator over specific periods of time requires a raise in the cost of living adjustment for educational expenditures.
ID R353.5, Box 2, Folders 1

Series 5 Economic Update 1984-1991

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

The Executive Secretary of the Commission issued this summary for Commission members of state and national economic trends monthly from 1984-1991. Indicators such as national retail Sales, Industrial Production, Housing Starts and Inflation are included in the reports.
ID R353.6, Box 2-3, Folders 2-5

Series 6 Quarterly General Fund Forecast Reports 1981-1993

Physical Description: 39 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

As required by law, the Commission issued these reports to forecast General Fund revenues and expenditures for the fiscal and budget year. Included in these reports are analyses of legislation and policy that effect revenue and expenditures, as well as state and national economic trends.
ID R353.7, Box 3, Folders 6-14

Series 7 Annual Long Term General Fund Forecast Reports 1985-1991

Physical Description: 9 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This report was similar to the Quarterly General Fund Forecast but was issued annually and provided a long-range forecast of General Fund revenues and expenditures.
ID R353.8, Box 3, Folders 15-83

Series 8 Presentations 1987-1993

Physical Description: 68 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Commission staff kept copies of presentations they made to various groups. Most of the presentations consist of explanations of the reports and forecasts issued by the Commission.
ID R353.9, Box 4, Folders 1-3

Series 9 Executive Secretary Correspondence 1984-1993

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Series consists of correspondence of the Executive Secretary of the Commission. Three different people held this position over the years and their correspondence reflects the duties of the Executive Secretary. Included are the California Necessities Index, Commission meeting notices, and responses to reports from other agencies.
ID R353.10, Box 4, Folders 4

Series 10 Staff Correspondence 1983-1993

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Series generally consists of Commission staff responses to requests by legislators and other agencies for information relating to their forecasts. This series also contains memoranda written to Commission members updating their forecasts.
ID R353.11, Box 4, Folders 5-9

Series 11 Reports 1981-1994

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series contains reports by the Commission that were not issued on a regular basis and reports from other agencies that were used by the Commission in their work. Included are a response to a Little Hoover Commission Study and a Legislative Analyst's Office report.