State’s Actions Spur Firms to Leave

“Is California Climate Getting Too Chilly for Business?” (Feb. 9) should be required reading for Gov. Gray Davis and every member of the Legislature.

Buck Knives does not appear to be some greedy global conglomerate, but rather a family business that tried to do right by its workers that ultimately could not withstand the abuse heaped upon it by the state of California.

Every time a business shuts down or leaves the state, middle-class taxpayers are transformed, at least statistically, into low-wage or unemployed workers dependent on public benefits and services. And the typical response from politicians is to raise taxes and pass more regulations to “protect” workers -- which drives away even more businesses.

This is the death spiral of the California economy.

Frederick Singer

Huntington Beach

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I see Buck Knives is relocating to Idaho because its costs of doing business in California are too high.

But those costs are predominantly wages and workers’ compensation payments that are integral to offering a living wage and middle-class benefits.

Sounds like Buck is doing what multinationals have done for years: moving to nations or regions where people work for much less and suffer low standards of living.

Is this what conservative Republicans mean in prattling for reforms in how business is treated: Reduce salaries to minimum-wage levels with no benefits?

That is a recipe for disaster, not for economic progress.

David Smollar

San Diego

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Businesses will continue to flee California as long as oppressive taxes and excessively high electricity rates prevent genuine economic success.

Lewis Fein

Brentwood

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As the largest market in the U.S. and one of the most lucrative in the world, no businessman in his right mind does not want to do business in California.

The real question that was avoided by the article was whether businessmen are willing to act responsibly and pay their fair share for doing business in California. Why should they be allowed to reap the benefits of this great market and not be asked to pay the price of admission?

Apparently they want something for nothing.

Sanford Thier

Venice

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As a small-business owner, I nearly fell out of my chair when I read the statement attributed to Lon Hatamiya, secretary of the state’s Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency. He said paid family leave will benefit employers by making workers happier and more productive.

Exactly how happy and productive will they be when they are doing their work plus that of the workers laid off, and raises and bonuses are frozen because the money is being sent to Sacramento for redistribution?

Don’t kid yourself, the price tag for this upcoming debacle will be heavy, and the money will come from the employers and the cost passed on to the consumer.

Chris Orenic

Manhattan Beach