Corporations flee, charities suffer

Re “Is L.A.’s middle class coming back?” Current, April 8

United Way’s Bill Pitkin rightfully questions the newly released UCLA Anderson Forecast, which reports that income inequality in Los Angeles declined from 2000 to 2005. Pitkin points out that L.A. vastly lags the rest of country in some important personal wealth measurements. He also states that the loss of aerospace jobs in the 1990s precipitated the loss of many middle-class jobs. Thankfully, I left the aerospace industry before the downturn.

“Corporate flight” from L.A. has contributed to the problem too. Not only have high-paying jobs been exported, in many cases the financial support to charities and nonprofits has left with these companies. I propose that United Way’s fundraising campaigns have been negatively affected by the corporate exodus. With fewer dollars to invest through the corporate and personal charitable-giving channels to address and augment youth education and overall training, L.A. will continue to struggle to improve the equitable distribution of wealth.

KEN MARTINET

President and Chief Executive,

Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters

Los Angeles