In a major public service, the Legislative Analyst's Office in California has created a video explaining Prop 98, California's famously complicated education funding guarantee. Here's a link.

Of course, the main thing the video accomplishes is confirming just how complicated the initiative is (despite the protestations of John Mockler, its author, who has long maintained it isn't that difficult to understand). The video takes 20 minutes to explain 98.

cross posted at Fox & Hounds Daily.

If you haven't read this week's report by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office, you must. There's plenty of bad news about the state being low on cash, but that we knew. Here's what knocked me over.

From the new report on the state's cash shortage by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office:

"Without additional legislative measures to address the state’s fiscal difficulties or unprecedented amounts of borrowing from the short–term credit markets, the state will not be able to pay many of its bills on time for much of its 2009–10 fiscal year. Deterioration of the state’s economic and revenue picture (such as the $8 billion revenue shortfall we forecasted in March) or failure of measures in the May 19 special election would increase the state’s cash flow pressures substantially—potentially increasing the short–term borrowing requirement to well over $20 billion. California is likely to have difficulty borrowing anywhere close to the needed amounts from the short–term bond markets based on the state government’s own credit."

Attention, voters. If the ballot guide doesn't answer your questions, check out the following analysis of each of the first 12 statewide measures on the November ballot in California -- courtesy of the Legislative Analyst's office, a non-partisan body.

California's non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office, which advises lawmakers of both parties, is used to getting some attention for its reports. But they may not be ready for the scrutiny their report on same-sex marriage's fiscal impact may have nationwide.

Under the category of "here's a story you don't see every day," The Advocate offers a preview of the LAO's report and suggests -- correctly, I believe -- that undecided voters could be convinced to oppose November's anti-gay marriage initiative if clear evidence emerges of same-sex marriage's economic benefits to the state.