Letters to the Editor |

AB5 will hurt, not help, independent contractors: Letters

Re “Rising tide of anti-AB5 Californians” (Editorial, Jan. 21):

Thank you for shining a light on the damage Assembly Bill 5 is doing to the livelihoods of ordinary Californians around the state.

When checks and balances of government systems die, as they have done here in California, bad ideas don’t get stopped at the gates.

In the case of AB5, the losers are small entrepreneurs and freelancers who choose to work for themselves. But in the long run, as companies around the country avoid doing business with contractors living inside the borders of California, the economy of the entire state will suffer.

It’s my hope that when enough people personally witness this damage, they will bring back the controls every government needs to be healthy.AB5 erodes a very fundamental liberty here in America — one of self-determination. Those who were responsible showed neither good judgment, wisdom or statesmanship when they passed this horrible law.

— Simon Turner, Trabuco Canyon

Newsom’s budget surplus

Re “Gov. Newsom’s budget proposal: the good, the bad, the questionable” (Opinion, Jan. 17):

In Accounting 101, decades ago, I learned in reading a financial statement to look at the notes first. I have to wince when I read of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget surplus.

Somehow they forgot to add the billions that are due for pensions of state, county, city, all municipal employees. If I had a recent college graduate in my family I would encourage them to go to the public rather than private sector as the benefits way exceed those given by the private sector.

I commend Sen. John Moorlach, the lone CPA in the California Assembly. I only wish the controlling Democrats had fiscal sense rather than tax, tax, tax and truly disencourage any new businesses to locate here.

The opposite is happening and that will be further enhanced by the socialistic Senate Bill 37 sponsored by Sen. Nancy Skinner from the liberal Berkeley area.

Woe is us and the entire California business community if this becomes California law.

— W.L. Sutton, Newport Beach

Better business climate

Re “Blacklist tax credits for Hollywood” (Editorial, Jan. 22):

I was in the studio industry over 30 years and still participate. About 15 or 20 years ago there was a massive exodus in the industry migrating to other states and countries as those places gave incentives.

Hollywood was nearly gone before California’s incentives started bringing back not only jobs, but the people who work in them. They buy homes, appliances, go to restaurants and send kids to schools with their taxes.

The economic cost to California if Hollywood loses those incentives would be crushing, especially with the lack of understanding our state government has toward industry. Chevrolet and Toyota, just to name two major industries, left our state for better taxes and less fees and regulations.

If anything our state should be bringing industry back with either incentives or better business sense rather than continuing the rush toward bankrupting our state with fiscal and social agendas that are rapidly destroying a once-great state.

It’s ridiculous to think our Democrat-run state is going to become business-friendly, so those incentives better stay or California will lose Hollywood.

We need smart and business savvy people who listen to reason and problem solving, not agenda-driven politicians running this state into the ground.

— Vance Frederick, Long Beach

Trump did right thing

Regarding Qassim Suleimani, I totally agree with what President Trump did. However, it really doesn’t matter whether we agree or not because we don’t have the intel he has to make an informed decision.

And especially those who have no other basis for their Monday morning quarterbacking than pure hate for a president who has done more his country than any other president in recent history.

— Wayne Ford, Huntington Beach