Lawmakers returned
to the State Capitol for the final month of this year’s Legislative session.
Having pushed aside state budget woes for a leisurely six months, legislators
have no excuse but to focus on economic recovery.
They can look no
further than a useful document released today by the California Chamber of
Commerce (my employer) enumerating an agenda of policies and activities that
can help the Golden State regain its economic competitiveness.
As stated by
CalChamber CEO Allan Zaremberg, "There are solutions that will make
California more competitive. First, we must do no more harm to this economy. No
more job killing legislation or bills that place California companies at a
competitive disadvantage should be introduced or passed into law. Second,
immediate action should be taken on proposals that will help improve our job
creation prospects by creating certainty for those who will invest in our
economy. Lawmakers must focus entirely on eliminating the perception-and
reality-that California has a bad business climate. The timing and strength of
an economic rebound will depend upon making California more competitive for job
creation, new business formation and investment."
The priorities outlined in Renew California Agenda
are:
- Do no more harm to
the California economy by refusing to allow any more job killing legislation to
become law; - Get rid of laws
unique to California that place us at a competitive disadvantage to other
states; - Eliminate
California-only employment laws leading to litigation exposure; - Create certainty for
businesses by ensuring a fair and stable tax system; and - Secure a long-term
commitment from elected officials that California will not increase the cost of
doing business here.
The CalChamber
release echoes the "do no harm" approach to statewide policy written
by Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom in his just-released "Economic
Growth and Competitiveness Agenda"
Prudence must
become the watchword for state policy as we struggle through the halting steps
of the economic recovery – or face up to the possibility of a double dip
recession, as some observers fear.
When California lawmakers
return to work at the Capitol later this month, they should … well – take it
away, Sacramento Bee editorial board:
"As legislators return for a final
month of their regular session, they should follow the doctor’s oath: Do no
harm.
"That should go without saying. But
it’s worth reminding certain members of this group…
"Democratic senators Ron Calderon, Fran
Pavley and Joe Simitian are carrying separate bills, SB 366 and SB 226, to
streamline some regulations and alter the California Environmental Quality Act
in ways intended to assist business expansion. Those are the sorts of bills
that ought to get to the front of the line in the next month…
"The Legislature should show discipline
– that’s a hard line to write with a straight face – and kill several
ill-conceived bills. One by Orange County Democratic Assemblyman Jose Solorio,
Assembly Bill 350, is a prime candidate for the scrap heap."
Couldn’t have said it any better myself.
Follow Loren on
Twitter: @KayeLoren