OCMetro Business - (Lucy Dunn, president and CEO, OC Business Council)

Let's get back to real jobs creation

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:18:00 GMT

Have you seen Disney’s animated movie, "UP"? It’s a great story about Carl, a 78-year-old retired salesman who ties balloons to his house and flies away with Russell, an 8-year-old stowaway, and his faithful dog, Dug. It’s a wonderful story, very touching.

The dog, however, really caught my attention. Dug has a special collar that allows him to speak! He helps Carl and Russell on his adventures throughout the film, but does have one tragic flaw: Dug gets distracted by squirrels. He may be on the most important mission of his life, but when he sees a squirrel out of the corner of his eye, his attention is completely diverted and – “SQUIRREL!” – he says. Off he runs to chase it.

Doesn’t this remind you of some of our state leaders? The mission is jobs creation – private sector jobs creation – pure and simple. It’s about getting folks employed who can pay taxes, and businesses that hire, grow and pay taxes, that will help Sacramento get its house in order. How can a state leader help create jobs? In one of three ways: reduce taxes and fees; reduce the glut of regulations business faces every day; and reduce opportunities for frivolous lawsuits.

• Instead, what we are seeing out of Sacramento are proposals to INCREASE gas taxes and lose taxpayer protections for secure transportation improvements – SQUIRREL!

• Time-consuming, wasteful “global warming solutions” that are not acceptable on the global marketplace – SQUIRREL!

• Universal health care “pseudo-solutions” that guarantee the state’s financial insolvency so no one will have health care – SQUIRREL!

• Creation of anymore Blueberry Commissions, Fertilizer Commissions, cow-tail docking or ferrets-as-pets legislation – SQUIRREL!

• And give us a break on this eco-stuff, will you? We love green jobs, but we love blue, red, yellow, pink and black jobs, too.

Let’s make a pact – anytime you hear a legislator or state official of any kind talk about anything other than reducing taxes and fees, regulations or litigation, just politely look at him and say “SQUIRREL!”

If enough of us do this together, perhaps we can eliminate the nuts and actually get to real jobs creation.

To see more Squirrel legislation, or to add your ideas of Squirrel!, visit californiasquirrel.com.

The state budget impasse drags on...

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:54:00 GMT

Six weeks past the constitutional deadline for a state budget, everyone has “drawn lines in the sand” in Sacramento. Republicans won’t raise taxes, Democrats won’t go for a real spending cap and the governor promises to veto any legislation that crosses his desk unrelated to the state budget until the budget is negotiated and done.

These stand-offs are affecting everyone: state workers and contractors are facing pay cuts and layoffs, and right here in Orange County an important piece of legislation is stalled by the governor’s veto pledge, even though he supports the bill. AB 3034 would increase financial oversight and make funding more flexible for the high-speed rail network proposed by November’s Proposition 1. This legislation ensures that a planned high-speed rail line has a stop in Anaheim, solid financial controls, private funding, as well as access to state bond funding. Unfortunately, the deadline to place these amendments on the November ballot has passed.

Deadlines tend to be “fluid” this time of year in Sacramento, but the threat to this project's benefits to Orange County is very real. The business community is hoping that these public pronouncements by Sacramento’s leaders are part of the ritual “kabuki budget dance” and that, as has been reported, real progress is being made behind closed doors. Too much is at stake.

Budget balancing is hard. Can you do it? Check out next10.org and tell me your priorities.

East meets West Side Story

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:53:00 GMT

I hope OC Metro readers will excuse my absence from blogging these past weeks, but I have now returned from a two-week cultural exchange in China. Touring with the Southern California Master Chorale just weeks before the Beijing Olympics, I can only say that this was an amazing adventure.

China is simply astounding. The construction taking place is beyond comprehension. Every city is proud of its architecture, attracting top designers from all over the world. Beijing has had years to prepare for the Olympics and they are doing their best to make their home as welcome as possible for the West. Lush landscaping frames thousands of miles of new public highways, new subways have opened, bicycles are more often replaced by cars (the new middle class status symbol) and the Chinese are being asked by their government to consider more “Western” manners: queuing up to get on the bus, no spitting in the street, no smoking sections in restaurants, staying in marked travel lanes, etc.

For visitors, however, it is remarkable to learn, experience and celebrate the unique cultural differences that are Chinese. Bargaining in the marketplace, walking everywhere, eating lightly, and – for women – learning the Chinese way of toileting. Ahem...bring your own paper and don’t be afraid!

The Olympic Village was in frenetic bustle. The remarkable “Bird’s Nest” where the opening ceremonies are to be held is a modern wonder of the world. I looked at the apartments being readied for the athletes and thought, “No way will these be done in 30 days.” Oh. Wait a minute. Three billion people and no CEQA, no NIMBY’s, no problem.

Every airport I visited – Beijing, Xi’an and Hong Kong – was state of the art. Signs clearly marked, almost complete or brand-new construction, breathtaking architecture designed to impress, and every amenity you’d expect to find. When I arrived at LAX, I thought I had arrived home to a third world country in comparison!

With all our discussion on water quality and reliability in California, there’s no question we’ve been spoiled. Our taps turn on, water comes out, practically free for the taking. In China, even at the top hotels, the tap turns on, and the water is not potable. Even to brush your teeth, you must use bottle water. I asked one of our guides – a Beijing resident – about this, and he responded to me, “We Chinese boil everything so we don’t think about drinking from the tap. It’s not a big thing in our culture.”

The terra cotta warriors in Xi’an are a “must see.” An exhibition is currently housed at Bower’s Museum in Santa Ana. It’s a good teaser, but the grounds and presentation of this astounding modern world wonder are worth a trip to China on its own. And, what can you say about Hong Kong, except more and more it’s like Manhattan on steroids! My group took a special VIP tour of Hong Kong Disneyland to see shows and attractions not yet in our own Disney Resort in Anaheim.

But the highlight for me had to have been the music – my “secret” passion. My choir met with university students from several of the country’s top educational institutions in Beijing, Tianjin and Xi’an. In every case, the Chinese choirs performing with us were not music majors or professional musicians, but scientists, architects, engineers, international business and technology majors – who just happened to like music and were amazingly gifted!

It was an experience to remember – a concert of American jazz, blues, gospel, classical and contemporary tunes (us) with Chinese art music, folk, Tibetan music, but also some contemporary compositions (them). Their musical performances were so well done that our merry band of Californians really had to “step up” to match their hosts’ expertise! Each of our groups was fueled and inspired by the other. Music was our common language and passion, and what a wonderful opportunity we had to share it across cultures. Who knew that east meeting west could have such a musical ring.

Factors impacting Orange County's future...

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:58:00 GMT

Welcome to OC Metro--that's Orange County Metropolitian--defined as a culture of sophistication, accepting a wide variety of people and ideas characteristic of an urbanized area. This isn't the LA suburbs any more! Most folks don't realize that today we are the fifth largest county in America.

Orange County has more population than 21 states in the union, yet they each have two senators! By comparison, in land area, it would take about 25 Orange Counties to fill one San Bernardino County. Our economy is diverse, strong and contributes mightily to the economic future for all of California. Orange County is among the very best places in the world to live, do business and raise a family.

But what will Orange County look like in the future? We are starting to read some troubling signposts: diminished affordable housing supplies (even as the construction industry wanes), aging infrastructure and a state education system in serious need of reform.

Will the people that live, work and go to school in today’s Orange County be able to live here 10 years from now?

The Orange County Business Council – OCBC – is working to buck trends to ensure that this county remains the economic engine of the Southland. Advocating for business--among the most productive and innovative companies in the world--OCBC helps build a future with a variety of choices in housing, relief in commute times, enhanced infrastructure investments, and a well-educated, skilled workforce ready today for the jobs of tomorrow.

In regular contributions to this space, I will blog on some of the Business Council’s specific efforts in these areas and more. How does the state budget affect us all? What's the big deal about water--my tap still works! Why is gasoline so expensive? And how can we protect our open spaces with all the pressure to provide for a growing population and job base?

Join me in a dialogue on the pressing issues facing the county’s business climate and quality of life.   There are a multitude of challenges and opportunities, and OCBC is at the center of efforts to address both.

Visit www.ocbc.org for more on OCBC. In the meantime, share your thoughts.