Lost Opportunities For Out-Of-Work And Underemployed Californians

• CalPortland Co., which operates a concrete kiln in Colton and other parts of Southern California, planned on opening a kiln line in Mojave, but canceled when AB 32 (the state's global warming law) was passed, said Steve Regis, vice president of engineering at CalPortland. Now the company has hired a geological exploration company to look for limestone in Nevada, costing California revenue and jobs. San Bernardino Sun - 3/6/10
• California Lawmakers' "Green Battle" Could Spark Renewable Energy Boom - in Neighboring States. John Woolard, chief executive of BrightSource ...warned that putting parts of the Mojave off limits "would push solar farms out of state." Others have also complained that California's aggressive renewable-energy target, combined with tough land-protection laws, could end up sparking a renewable-energy boom in neighboring Nevada or Arizona. Wall Street Journal - 12/22/09
• Small business bankruptcies in California have risen by a staggering 81% in the past year, compared to a 44% increase nationwide. That translates to 19,000 small businesses in the state filing for bankruptcy protection, leading to layoffs, shuttered storefronts and broken dreams. Los Angeles Times - 12/22/09
• Unemployment falls, but job cuts resume. California's unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point last month, to 12.3 percent. But the state lost 10,200 payroll jobs, resuming a discouraging trend after a one-month holiday, according to figures released today by the Employment Development Department. Sacramento Bee - 12/18/09
• Because of our high taxes, our state won't have the opportunity to host the historic Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. next March. Such an event would have generated an influx of new economic activity for small businesses near LA's Staples Center, during and leading up to the fight. Contrary to what some have said, high taxes do matter in business decisions that create jobs.
  • Manny Pacquiao may not fight at Staples Center because of California's high taxes - Koncz said without assurances that Pacquiao's tax bill would be paid with a larger total purse, "Manny doesn't want to fight in California," when the alternatives are no state taxes if the scheduled March 13 bout were fought in Nevada or Texas. Los Angeles Times - 12/10/09
  • Fox: In This Fight, the Loser is California - The venue that snares the March boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will add millions to the host city's bottom line. Count California cities out. The reason? Taxes. Fox & Hounds weblog - 12/15/09
• Toyota Said to Plan Moving Some Jobs From California because of high costs - Bloomberg, November 24, 2009.
• CalPortland, a cement company, recently laid-off nearly 100 employees because of the economy and regulations. The CEO wrote, "A cement plant cannot be picked up and moved, but the next new plant probably won't be built in California meaning more good, high paying manufacturing jobs will be lost to Nevada or China or somewhere." CMTA MPowered Blog, November 19, 2009
• German-based SMA Solar Technology announced it would open a manufacturing facility in Colorado, spend approximately $22 million on it's first non-European site, and hire 300 to 700 Denver workers starting in 2010. This begs the question: why wasn't California able to entice SMA to build its facility here considering we have a "one million solar roofs" policy? CMTA MPowered Blog, November 4, 2009
• Junk lawsuits filed by people seeking big paydays burden small businesses. The suit against the Squeeze Inn is one of several filed by a woman against Sacramento businesses, including the venerable Lil Joe's restaurant in North Sacramento. Lil Joe's owner said he faces having to move a wall about four feet to come into compliance. Sacramento Bee, July 9, 2009.
• Losses of factory jobs in California blamed on regulation - Gregg is part of the parade of companies marching out of California. The state lost 79,000 manufacturing jobs between 2003 and 2007, while seven other states with a meaningful percentage of U.S. manufacturing gained 62,000, according to a report scheduled to be released today by the Milken Institute. Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2009.
• California manufacturing jobs cross state lines - California has been losing manufacturing jobs faster than comparable states, according to a new report that argues it is possible and necessary to arrest the decline of a sector that pays an average wage of $66,200 a year. San Francisco Chronicle, June 23, 2009
• California's myriad fees and regulations driving small businesses - and their jobs - to Nevada. Alan Jurkonis, president of a company that makes fire hydrant and gate values, described the "death by thousand cuts" that led his business to leave Fresno for Minden, Nev. in 2007. Shipping to Southern California was cheaper from Nevada than Fresno, land was cheaper too. There wasn't a reason to stay, he said. Orange County Register, April 24, 2009.
• The Nevada Development Authority is taking advantage of California's high costs of creating new jobs. They developed an ad campaign encouraging California businesses to move to Nevada because of its jobs-friendly climate.
• Wacker Chemie, another solar company, decided to build $1 billion solar plant in Tennessee. Why did California lose out on this opportunity to create jobs? Company cites Tennessee's low energy costs and support from government. February 26, 2009.
• Citing the high costs of doing business in California, AAA decided to close its California call centers last year and take 900 jobs to other states. California State Automobile Association will close its California call centers - including its 500-employee Elk Grove facility - earlier than expected and send the jobs out of state, citing the cost of doing business in California. Sacramento Bee, July 16, 2008.
• However, job opportunities for trial lawyers have expanded because of well-intentioned but flawed law. California allows uniquely generous payouts to disabled people who sue private businesses and public agencies for violations of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. That has sparked a wave of lawsuits and made the state a magnet for lawyers. Sacramento Bee, November 13, 2006.