One of my big frustrations in the State Assembly is that the connection is not made between overzealous regulators and draconian rules and that California has an over 11% unemployment rate.
Today, Gregg Industries, which operates a foundry and machine shop in El Monte, announced it is closing early. Can you say AQMD?
After the downturn Gregg Industries announced they would close the foundry part of the operation. In 2008 Gregg Industries had an agreement with the AQMD on controlling pollution. It required independent verification of its efforts. After the closure announcement they actually gave incentives to the last employees to comply with the agreement.
AQMD’s response was to send inspector after inspector for the last month it was open.
Gregg’s staff outlined abuses that included a threat from an AQMD employee that at least one security guard interpreted as a threat to use force to enter and inspectors entering he facility without protective measures and without proper escort. I still haven’t got a response to my inquiry about the harassment.
The result is Gregg is closing the foundry a week early. Those jobs were lost already. The problem is that Gregg may now close the machine shop part of their operation. That is 75 more jobs.
The AQMD and other agencies that treat businesses like criminals open the way for Nevada, Arizona and other states to take our jobs.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Assemblyman – My latest pair of “Rainbow” sandals, with the label proudly declaring “San Clemente” had a new disclosure on them: “Made in China.” This on the heels of news coverage noting this (and many other) So Cal surf industry companies were moving operations offshore because of AQMD-related items. Sad commentary that one of the great legacies of So Cal (the surf industry) has been outsourced because of regulation.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
And yet those same companies who now outsource their manufacturing continue support organizations (like the Surfrider Foundation) that support these regulations.