Revenue Derived from Regulatory Charges

By Tom Campbell

Since it started ranking states as the best and worst for doing business in 2006, up until the most recent measure, Chief Executive Magazine has placed California at the single worst, #50, for every year. This is an abominable record. It advertises that our state is hostile to business, and that companies thinking about locating in California would do better almost anywhere in the US.

Whenever the state imposes regulatory charges, the revenue should be directed to lowering the burden on doing business in California that resulted from the regulation in question. See, for example, the proposal that the cap-and-trade revenues currently directed toward the high-speed train be redirected to increase the earned-income tax credit for low-income Californians.

The above are statements on several public policy issues drafted by Tom Campbell, former US Congressman, former California State Senator, former Director of Finance for California, and currently Interim Chairman of the Common Sense Party. They are meant to initiate consideration of several important issues; they are not the official views of the Common Sense Party. Please feel free to submit your own thoughts on these issues on the Open Policy Discussion Page.