Blogs of the LA Area Chamber
Change is Slow, but We Are Making Progress
Gary Toebben on June 28, 2011 at 12:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Anyone with a basic understanding of economics knew long ago where the
unsustainable public employee pension system was headed. And last year,
City of Los Angeles Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana painted a
frightening picture of the severe financial crisis facing the City as
the cost of pensions and health care for retirees continue to rise.
Despite that, public officials, who were too afraid of public employee
union backlash, stuck their heads in the sand.
Building a Smarter Los Angeles
Gary Toebben on June 21, 2011 at 12:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Los Angeles' business community has been clamoring for citywide
development reform for so long that no one remembers what it's like to
build a construction project without a sea of red tape. The City of Los
Angeles has produced at least 100 reports on development reform in the
last 40 years and not a single one of those reports has been fully
implemented.
Pirates of the Internet
Gary Toebben on June 14, 2011 at 12:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Pirates aren't what they used to be. No longer content with sailing the seven seas, they're now enteringthe open waters of the Internet, searching for new sources of stolen treasure. With a few clicks of a mouse or taps on an iPad, one can find thousands of movies, song recordings and full-featured video games available to download at little to no cost. Sadly, many computer users downloading copyrighted content aren't even aware that they are trafficking in stolen property.
While a pirate of the Internet might conjure up the image of a mischievous hacker with a gleam in his or her eye, Internet piracy is no laughing matter. With Los Angeles the entertainment capital of the world, we're highly susceptible to feeling the economic effects of piracy. The entertainment industry generates nearly $1.5 trillion, roughly 11 percent of America’s gross domestic product, according to Paramount Pictures COO Frederick Huntsberry. With an estimated 17 percent of Internet traffic infringing on copyrighted material, all Angelenos have a stake in this thievery.
California Budget D-Day is Upon Us
Gary Toebben on June 7, 2011 at 12:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
June 15 is D-Day for the California Legislature. It’s the Constitutional deadline for passing a balanced state budget. And it is an opportunity to pull our State out of the financial and economic morass we find ourselves in today.
Financial deadlines usually force people out of their comfort zones and give them an urgency to act. Gov. Jerry Brown and members of the Legislature should use the June 15 deadline as an opportunity to put a financial workout plan into place for California.
Financial deadlines usually force people out of their comfort zones and give them an urgency to act. Gov. Jerry Brown and members of the Legislature should use the June 15 deadline as an opportunity to put a financial workout plan into place for California.