This article originally ran in the Los Angeles Business Journal In 2008, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a program that identifies “chemicals of concern” in consumer products. The Green Chemistry Initiative is designed to protect California consumers from harmful chemicals and, on the surface, sounds very reasonable. But not so say employers who don’t [...]

Now that the Supreme Court has upheld health reform, California officials will be moving at top speed to make changes to put the law into effect. Regardless of your opinion of health reform, there is one change California lawmakers are considering that should be scrapped in its current form. I’m referring to SB 1431, which [...]

Last week, the National Federation of Independent Business/California, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Small Business Action Committee joined together to officially launch “Californians for Reforms and Jobs, Not Taxes”, the campaign opposed to the Governor’s $50 billion tax increase initiative. According to the independent California Legislative Analyst, the tax hike will: Raise sales and income [...]

The Brown Administration’s hidden energy tax is being imposed on struggling small businesses and all Californians by an unelected body via a complicated and obscure process. It would be considered by some a snoozer of an issue if the implications of this $30 billion tax weren’t so severe: the potential for $6-a-gallon gasoline and higher [...]

With all the critical issues that California is currently facing – rising unemployment, burdensome regulations and the threat of increased taxes – you would think our elected leaders would be focused on trying to get our state out of the quagmire it is in.  But sadly, they are once again in the weeds, trying to [...]

While the legislature is in session, the National Federation of Independent Business/California will be profiling anti-small business bills and initiatives and the adverse effect they would have on California’s job creators.  This is the second column of the 2012 series. Welcome to California, the land of fruits, nuts and over-regulation.  In this state, we regulate [...]

While the legislature is in session, the National Federation of Independent Business/California will be profiling anti-small business bills and initiatives and the adverse effect they would have on California’s job creators.  This is the first column of the 2012 series. Each year when March rolls around, I hold my breath, hoping that the Governor and [...]

Each year, the National Federation of Independent Business, California polls its members on state and national issues vital to their survival as entrepreneurs.  The results of this year’s poll were released Tuesday, and not much was a surprise. Based on the results, it’s not surprising how impassioned mom and pop businesses on Main Street are [...]