Posted on 01/01/2004 2:20:19 PM PST by concentric circles
In a move to combat California's out-of-control workers compensation system, the Small Business Action Committee (SBAC) today announced that it has filed an initiative to reduce the cost of the system by as much as $10 billion. Titled "The Workers Compensation Reform Act," the initiative will introduce much-needed reforms to a system which has tripled in costs in the past 8 years alone, driving businesses and jobs out of California. The proposed initiative will provide a comprehensive set of solutions for California's worker's compensation system including: uniform standards for rating injuries; a reduction in excessive litigation; and more benefits for truly disabled workers. The initiative is intended for the November 2004 ballot and it is expected that petitions will be ready to circulate for signatures in February.
Improving the efficiency of the system should produce cost savings equal to about a third of the $30 billion dollar workers compensation insurance program. The cost for workers comp has increased dramatically in recent years growing from $9 billion in 1995 to $30 billion today. In response to added costs businesses have moved out of California or cut jobs to deal with the increased premiums.
Proponents of the initiative are SBAC Founder and President Joel Fox and SBAC Board Member and Chairman of the SBAC Board of Governors, Chris George. The SBAC's support for this initiative is a key component of the organization's overall political agenda.
"From the outset, the Small Business Action Committee identified workers compensation as one of the top issues facing small businesses in California," said Fox, a veteran of many California initiative battles and former president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. "We hope that the legislature and governor will solve this problem. However, small businesses can't wait to see if there will be a legislative solution before we take action. If there is no major workers comp reform in this coming session of the legislature, we need to have an initiative qualified for the November ballot."
As a true California entrepreneur, Chris George knows from experience that rising workers compensation costs directly impacts small businesses and their employees. George founded CMG Financial Services in 1993 with only a handful of employees and has since grown his business to employ over 400 throughout the state and across the country.
"These reforms are necessary to fix a badly broken workers comp system that will save businesses billions of dollars each year," said George. "This savings will allow small businesses to expand and provide new jobs."
About the Small Business Action Committee
The Small Business Action Committee (SBAC) aggressively supports policies that help small businesses improve California's economy. The SBAC advocates for legislation and initiatives that are in the best interest of California's small businesses and opposes those that are detrimental to these businesses. Today, the major items on the SBAC's agenda include workers compensation, excess taxation and frivolous lawsuits. Currently, the SBAC is building a grassroots network of small business owners across the state. Through its affiliation with the California Small Business Association, the SBAC has over 38,000 supporters. For more information, visit the SBAC on the web: www.sbaction.org.
Hey tubebender, I din't ferget this time!!!
To tell the truth, I never was a big fan of ballot measures, but the Damnocrats were always gloming on to the process ever since they saw what we accomplished with Prop 13. They were all for 'em when Repellicans were in office. Then in 1998 when they took everything in the State, they are now against 'em, because they feel threatened by 'em.
From '78 to '98 they extolled the virtues of "direct democrazy" through ballot initiatives. Now they hate 'em and I'm renewing my zeal for them. They still bother me because we're supposed to be able to elect representatives in our CA Republic through the democratic process. Not make laws through the democratic process.
Political consultants, especially Demonicrat consultants have made a mockery of the initiative process in that 20 year period and they still have a bad smell. The classic example are things like Prop 98 that "Lockbox" 40% of all future budgets into education with a constitutional amendment.
That and all the Park/EnvironMental Preservation bond measures have made CA practically ungovernable, even for a big celebrity like Arnold. It's been public policy driven by mob rule and very little representative deliberation. Of course the last five years have been mob rule in the legislature and every statewide elective office as well, so what's the difference.
Now the people must take the law-making into their own hands and we must trust them to deliberate before voting. The big problem is... They don't, they won't or they don't even read the ballot arguments!
They just listen to another Hollywood celebrity like they did that lying Jack Lemmon with Prop 98 who was just reading the script the Teacher's Unions gave him!!!
"...To convince voters to say yes, backers will be touting Prop. 56's provision to dock lawmakers pay for failure to pass a budget by the constitutionally mandated deadline and the measure's requirement that the state establish a rainy day fund. Then there is the title, the Budget Accountability Act, with which they hope to go forward to victory - after all, is anyone opposed to government accountability?"
"...Prop. 56 is a direct attack on Prop. 13. It would replace Prop. 13's mandate that new or increased state taxes be passed with a two-thirds vote with an easily attainable 55 percent vote."
"During last summer's budget debate, lawmakers introduced measures that, combined, would have raised taxes at least $60 billion. If Prop. 56 had been law, many of these bills would have passed and Californians would now be paying billions of dollars in new taxes."
"...Prop. 56 would also eliminate the two-thirds approval required to pass a state budget." ...
Time ta git up Ernest, and face the sneakiness!!! (grin)
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