The longer I've served in the Legislature, the more I'm amazed at the sheer enthusiasm the Legislature's liberal majority takes in attacking the private sector that upholds California's economic health.
This year was no exception. The number of job-killing bills weaseled through the Legislature in 2005 is as disturbing as ever. To help elevate your blood pressure, I'll share a few.
Assembly Bill 48 (Lieber, D-Mountain View) proposes, once again, to increase the state's minimum wage.
Anyone with even a "kid's lemonade stand" grasp of economics understands the negative effects of jacking up the minimum wage. It forces businesses to cut costs elsewhere, including cutting jobs. If signed, AB 48 would force California to have the highest minimum wage in the nation, raising it to $7.25 in 2006 and then to $7.75 in 2007, with incremental increases thereafter. This is how the "enlightened ruling classes" make California businesses noncompetitive in the national and global markets.
Two other business-throttling measures would make firms more prone to excessive litigation.
AB 169 (Oropeza, D-Long Beach) mandates civil penalties for employers accused of violating gender equity laws. Similarly, SB 174 (Dunn, D-Garden Grove) gives attorneys more incentives to file lawsuits by establishing new penalties for violating minimum wage laws.
I believe in justice, including righteous lawsuits whenever required. But I hate abusive, frivolous lawsuits with a passion and have fought against them to the point that I'm known as "Mister Tort Reform" in the Capitol. Enriching predatory lawyers at the expense of real working people is not my idea of progress.
The Legislature discovered yet other creative ways to bludgeon businesses:
Assembly Bill 391 (Kortez, D-West Hollywood) is a perfect example. This bill would require businesses to provide unemployment insurance to employees when a strike against their own company leaves them unemployed. Getting paid to strike against your employer? Strike incentive pay?
Fortunately, although only a minority of legislators qualify as pro-job/pro-business, we have a business-savvy Governor covering our backs. Arnold has been terminating the job-killers.
What a difference a recall makes.
For now, at least . . . California businesses are relatively safe from the worst lunacy.
This year was no exception. The number of job-killing bills weaseled through the Legislature in 2005 is as disturbing as ever. To help elevate your blood pressure, I'll share a few.
Assembly Bill 48 (Lieber, D-Mountain View) proposes, once again, to increase the state's minimum wage.
Anyone with even a "kid's lemonade stand" grasp of economics understands the negative effects of jacking up the minimum wage. It forces businesses to cut costs elsewhere, including cutting jobs. If signed, AB 48 would force California to have the highest minimum wage in the nation, raising it to $7.25 in 2006 and then to $7.75 in 2007, with incremental increases thereafter. This is how the "enlightened ruling classes" make California businesses noncompetitive in the national and global markets.
Two other business-throttling measures would make firms more prone to excessive litigation.
AB 169 (Oropeza, D-Long Beach) mandates civil penalties for employers accused of violating gender equity laws. Similarly, SB 174 (Dunn, D-Garden Grove) gives attorneys more incentives to file lawsuits by establishing new penalties for violating minimum wage laws.
I believe in justice, including righteous lawsuits whenever required. But I hate abusive, frivolous lawsuits with a passion and have fought against them to the point that I'm known as "Mister Tort Reform" in the Capitol. Enriching predatory lawyers at the expense of real working people is not my idea of progress.
The Legislature discovered yet other creative ways to bludgeon businesses:
Assembly Bill 391 (Kortez, D-West Hollywood) is a perfect example. This bill would require businesses to provide unemployment insurance to employees when a strike against their own company leaves them unemployed. Getting paid to strike against your employer? Strike incentive pay?
Fortunately, although only a minority of legislators qualify as pro-job/pro-business, we have a business-savvy Governor covering our backs. Arnold has been terminating the job-killers.
What a difference a recall makes.
For now, at least . . . California businesses are relatively safe from the worst lunacy.