Posted on 04/15/2011 9:14:35 PM PDT by nickcarraway
After two days in Austin looking for advice on how to stop their state's mounting job losses, a group of California lawmakers said the takeaway from their trip turns out to be fairly simple.
They said they've learned that they need to follow Texas' lead in loosening the regulatory reins on businesses — because companies won't stay in California if the state keeps weighing them down with red tape and taxes.
"We got a great message: Regulatory oversight (in California) is too much, the taxes are too high, we need to streamline government and not become a 'nanny' state like we've become," said state Assemblyman Dan Logue, a Republican from the Sacramento area who led the delegation.
"We talked to businesses who tried to make it in California and relocated (to Texas) because it's nearly impossible to do it there. We have to identify the reasons why."
The California delegation included a dozen state officials, most of them Republicans, but also Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The members said their visit was spurred by the knowledge that in the past three years, California has lost 1.2 million jobs; Texas has gained 164,000 jobs in the same period.
Though the trip was led by Republicans, who are in the minority in the California Legislature, Newsom said he and other California Democrats need to make job creation "their top priority" for the state.
"I don't see this as a partisan issue," Newsom said. "We've got to get in the business of getting back to good public policy, which happens to be the best politics. And right now, we need a jobs plan."
After meeting with Gov. Rick Perry and Texas legislators Thursday, the delegation conducted a hearing Friday at the Capitol at which they heard from Texas businesses and business advocates.
All of the speakers urged the lawmakers to address California's regulatory climate. Among them was Sherry Sylvester of the advocacy group Texans for Lawsuit Reform, who said tort reform would be a key to improving the state's business climate.
"Before 1994, Texas was known as the lawsuit capital of the world," Sylvester said. The Legislature's moves since then to make it tougher to sue businesses "have been good for Texas," she said.
Before concluding their visit with a lunch meeting with Perry adviser Mike Morrissey, the California lawmakers said they received Texas' message loud and clear.
"There's opportunity here; you can smell it," Assemblyman Mike Merrell, a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga, told Texas business owners at Friday's hearing. "We need to follow your plan."
All Republicans but for Newsom.
California Republicans have no power, and they have been on-board with dereg forever anyway. The Texans and etc. were preaching to the converted.
And even Newsom has always been a rather sensible deregulator, to the extent that he could be in San Francisco (also a flaming lib socially, but whatever).
If no Democrats have been converted, worthless.
The swine have passed both card-check and “renewable” energy extensions this year.
Paging Captain Obvious.
“The California delegation included a dozen state officials, most of them Republicans, but also Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.”
Yeah, don’t worry Moonbeam, Gavin has your back. He’s looking for a good spot for that shiv.
Somebody was looking for PR, hence the field-trip for the press, get them to write it up, with some colorful Texans to deliver amusing copy. That was the point. If CA Republicans and Newsom just haunted a conference room in Sacto for a day or two it would be ignored. Like all this stuff is always ignored.
This ship sailed long ago, after the conclusion of the Deukmajian and Wilson adminisrations.
My local State Rep. told me Texas is seeing 200,000 Californians relocate to Texas every year.
Yep, we have no income tax, a LOT less regulation, but let’s get to the elephant in the room: Texas does not allow publc employee unions. Radical idea, but it comes down to: here is your salary and the range you can expect, these are the benefits; don’t like the package, the private sector will welcome you with open arms (or not).
Public sector unions have used union dues to buy enough legislators they are bullet-proof. They have perfected the trick of using the taxpayers’ money against the taxpayers’ interest. This unholy alliance has been prosperous for both Union members and the Legislators they’ve bought to the point the taxpayers are literally “voting with their feet”.
Geniuses they are, aren’t they?
Fast learners, too. Quick studies. Bright lights.
The Texas people should have told the California delegation that the keys to attracting businesses are added regulation and higher taxes, along with a “gay history for kindergardners” and “fisting for third-graders” curriculum in the government schools. California politicians - - at least the overwhelming Democrat majority - - would shriek in delight at such recommendations and implement them right away.
You could get the same advice for free by reading Free Republic, Investor’s Business Daily and the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal. Anybody with a bit of high school economics training and a shred of common sense knows their “findings.” What a wasteful junket.
California’s socialist politicians can’t handle the truth. If they really want to follow Texas’s lead, they would disband CARB, reverse half of the state’s environmental laws, cut the income tax in half, and open the entire state to oil drilling and even offer tax incentives for oil exploitation.
Instead, they will continue their onslaught of business destroying environmental restrictions.
California is condemned to bankruptcy. After it crashes, something may or may not rise from the ashes.
If any-twosome Newsome and the rest woke up tomorrow with an honest realization of how Texas is creating jobs, they would be compelled to immediately resign. They ARE the problem and always will be.
The mental disorder of liberalism is wonderfully illustrated by this insane exercise. “Lets see a state doing everything the opposite we are and ask them why it works, then ignore it.”
Having lived in both states, I can tell you that California is getting EXACTLY what the Democrats had in mind for it, for the past 40 years. The last thing they want to do is learn anything from Texas.
Having said that, there are some awesome Republicans in (and from) California, such as President Reagan, for starters. But the Republicans don’t control the state...so it does not make any difference if they come here.
Having that that, it is fun to watch the Republican minority in California make the governor and the Dems SQUIRM on the budget. The Republicans won’t give an inch until the Dems make some serious cuts...and the Dems just cannot bring themselves to it, and they’re having a lot more trouble buying off the few Republican votes they need to get it over the top. We’ll see where that goes.
That was pretty much my thought. A nice two-day getaway for those who went. I don’t think CA is at the point yet where creating a business-friendly atmosphere is a top priority.
An article posted yesterday:
69 more companies move jobs from California
So far this year, 69 companies have moved all or part of their California work and jobs to other states or countries, reports Irvine relocation consultant Joe Vranich. It’s the fastest rate of departures since Vranich started tracking the exodus in 2009, he says. There have been an average of 4.7 moves per week from Jan. 1 through April 12, compared to 3.9 moves in all of 2010.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2705303/posts
Well hope they enjoyed the vacation. Now back to work on making everyone comply with greenhouse regulations.
One of those showtime junkets. These people just wasted more of Californian’s taxes on a trip to Texas for the purpose of press.
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