S&P's Gabriel Petek will head California Legislative Analyst's Office

Gabriel Petek, S&P Global Ratings primary credit analyst for California and Illinois, has been selected to lead the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Petek, a managing director who heads S&P’s San Francisco office, will begin his new role on Feb. 4.

Gabriel Petek

He replaces Mac Taylor, who retired in December after serving as the legislative analyst since 2008.

“I am thrilled and honored,” Petek said. “It’s an office for which I have always had the utmost respect. I look forward to serving the Legislature in this new capacity and I hope to leverage my experience for the benefit of the Legislature’s decision making process.”

The LAO’s office conducts analysis on budget and policy issues to provide the Legislature with information it needs to make decisions.

The appointment was announced late Wednesday by Sen. Holly Mitchell, chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the vice-chair, Assemblymember Phil Ting.

“Given the importance of the research that the LAO does for the Legislature, it is critical to have someone with a strong economic background directing the office,” said Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake.

Petek will be the sixth person to lead the LAO since the office was established in 1941. The JLBC selected Petek on a unanimous 14-0 vote after conducting a national search.

“We chose Gabriel Petek because we believe that he has both a deep understanding of the state’s budget and fiscal situation, and the ability to assist us in making economic and policy decisions that will best serve the people of California,” Mitchell said.

Ting said he sees Petek as someone “who will help the legislature achieve its policy and oversight goals by providing thoughtful analysis and support.”

Petek holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University and earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in political science from Loyola Marymount University where he was awarded the Stanley Chan Award, given to the top political science scholar as recognized by the faculty.

He completed part of his undergraduate work at the London School of Economics and Political Science where he was a Hansard Scholar. He holds a chartered financial analyst designation and is an active member of the CFA Society of San Francisco. He is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and has served as a chairman of the board of the California Society of Municipal Analysts, an NFMA affiliate.

Prior to joining S&P, he worked as a budget analyst at the City of Boston’s Office of Budget Management.

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