ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area CA- Certification Enforcement Idea

Sadly, California has also been a hostile business environment, especially for the "little guys."

I am planning on leaving the state soon myself.

From time to time, I will read an article in the newspaper about how many businesses are fleeing California for cheaper and business-friendlier neighbors like Utah, Nevada and Texas. In fact, there is even a website that tracks all the businesses that have left and are leaving. I forgot what it's called though.

Peter

"such as overzealous, highly paid enforcement heros or clowns"

You're killin' me....

But anyway guys California is not that bad... Sure we have some mandatory scare your customer to death customer edjucation crap. And taxes are not Nevada, but not uncomparable to Massachusettes either. The problems are universal that we have here. Things like this have happened in other states, and will continue to happen in other states... As most of this is an over-sight, and political power game it can be over-come - in time. If I may... a quote of import.

"It's like lotto - you gotta play to win."
-Beastie Boyz

What we need is a lobbiest... Not that there are not enough of them already with thier nasty fingers in the pie for the big guys.... (Union and Merit) We need someone to represent all us sole propritors and small shops on these issues. And it can not be in the labor code, as IMO there will be little to nil action on anything, as everyone in the DIR/DAS is either on coffee break, or out to lunch when it comes to anything. (They have no real contact with the real contracting world...) I have already thought of a low fiscal impact enforcement solution* through the CSLB, and maybe its time (Again) to call and write the Legislature. Find or create an organization to draft and promote it, or something simular... Squeaky wheels are the only ones that ever get greased... Otherwise we're just spinning ours. If you want a level playing field, sometimes you need a shovel...

*Make it mandatory that C-10s provide a list of employees certification numbers, for cross referance against the DAS database/list as a requirement to renew thier license, and up-date it as employment changes occur. And have that list of certified personel listed with thier license on thier web site. Showing only the name of the worker, and status of that worker. Much the way they did with the HIC personel. Make it a finable violation to have uncertified workers in the field. As the list is public information, IMO it it would self-police itself as any customer or GC could get look up a name of anyone who showed up to work on thier project. The money for the single part-timer person to manage this database would be minimal, and IMO should come right out of that $2m that the DAS is partying on right now.... Any fine monies generated from this goes to the CSLB for enforcing the DAS's law....

Yes, absolutely. LK told me that their Contractors Assn in NJ had grown from 6 members at its beginning to >3000, and as such had considerable lobbying power.

There's 3 days of Dept. of Apprencticeship Standards meetings planned for January 24-26 at Sacramento's Radisson Hotel. Of this 3 days, 3 hours will be devoted to electrician certification issues.
DAS partying on your money?? Oh, how can you even suggest such a thing!!
Check it out!
3 hours of rigorous discussion at a place with it's own private lake is not partying!
Nor is the Apprenticeship Council's tough July quarterly meeting HERE
And to top it all off, they'll be beating their poor overworked brows in May too!
HERE . All of this suffering and sacrifice, and then we actually expect them to have to fill out one of THESE too?
Of course, matters of this importance couldn't be held in the State Building, a few miles away in San Francisco, where the DAS offices are located.


[This message has been edited by electure (edited 12-22-2006).]

That invitation is out of control!!!! Whats next, a trip on the Winetrain ?

Scott you're starting to sound as enraged as I was a while back....

As for getting something like that Contractors Assn together - where does one startwithout getting muddled into much more? I know of a few smaller regional ones, but was thinking something more in terms trade specific on a specific law. I'll be up for dropping my current (Angry )site for a new one....

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 12-22-2006).]