NATIONAL: Businesses Fleeing to "Anywhere But California"

Based on the annual survey of 650 US business leaders, California (once again!) ranks 50th out of 50 states (i.e. last or worst - take your pick) in the category of "Best State for Business" for 2012. Actually, the article indicates that California has been DEAD LAST in this survey for 8 years running - how come that lovely news does NOT get significant press coverage in our liberal news media that plays on the same team as our liberal legislators? Is anyone shocked? 

Here's one of my favorite (and sad) quotes from the article above: 

"Once the most attractive business environment, the Golden State appears to slip deeper into the ninth circle of business hell".

The nearby states of Nevada and Arizona opened new domestic out-of-state recruitment offices in California in the last few years, seeking to lure California businesses that are sick of the high taxes and onerous business restrictions and regulations. Read a recent article on this topic by clicking this sentence. Sources cited the reason for businesses leaving California in whole or part include:

• Cap-and-trade program for emissions started in November 2012, where businesses pay for the right to release more than a certain amount of green house gasses (first and only law of its kind in the nation - limited to California only).
• Californians voted in 2012 to raise taxes on the state's residents with the most income; that is, the 99 percenters voted to increase the taxes of the 1 percenters, which usually includes business owners / job creators.
• California changed tax laws so that multi-state corporations will pay more California taxes than they did previously if they do any work in California.
• Based on our own expertise in Employment Law, California has the most restrictive, complex and confusing-to-follow labor laws  of any state by far.
• and on and on and on and on and on...

Oyster Farm on the Run

Why does California consistently rank last? Why do successful businesses continue to be recruited by nearby business-friendly states? Perhaps this recent story explains much of California business owners exasperation with their states restrictive laws. The article details the Drakes Bay, California Oyster Farm at Point Reyes National Seashore that is being forced to close down their opposition. Their 40 year lease was set to expire in 2012, and they petitioned to have it extended, with no success (so far). The farm supplies about half of the Bay Area restaurants that serve oysters, forcing them to go far afield to replace the Drake Bay Oyster Company supply.

Environmentalists claim that the oyster farm disturbs Harbor Seals and other (unspecified) negative effects, but supporters of the Oyster Farm say that there is no proof, and that indeed, the oyster farm improves the environment by filtering the water and thus making it cleaner. Also, oyster farms are an excellent "canary in the coal mine", as oysters must be tested and cannot be sold if they contain any environmental contaminants.

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