The State Controller’s Office is prepared to begin making payments of the $100 million in pre-2004 mandate reimbursements included in the 2014-15 state budget as early as next Wednesday, October 22. The detailed agency-by-agency information is on the State Controller’s website.

CSAC staff negotiated these repayments in this year’s budget. With state revenue coming in higher than anticipated, the Legislature faced many competing claims on the additional money. CSAC and the Governor successfully argued that the mandate payments not only pay back counties for services they provided years ago, they also reduce the state’s debt.

If state revenues this year exceed Budget Act estimates, the budget dedicates a portion of the unexpected revenue, up to another $800 million, to pay down the rest of the state’s obligation to counties for these activities.

Some payments—about $10 million—will be delayed for local agencies with an accounts receivable on the books. Payments for these local agencies will be offset by underpayments identified via audit and likely won’t arrive until November or December.

SCO will post remittance advice and reconciliation information on its website so that each agency will be able to determine which programs have been cleared with the funds. Most claimants will receive multiple remittances, as SCO’s system pays by program and by fiscal year.