Small businesses bend Assemblyman Gatto's ear on industry challenges

Highlights from Daniel Siegal's coverage for the Glendale News-Press, of the first meeting of my newly created small-business advisory council:

...Speaking at Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Silver Lake) first Small Business Advisory Commission meeting at Woodbury University on Saturday, Mark Dornfeld, owner of Custom Film Effects in Burbank, said the situation was becoming untenable for the countless independent businesses in the industry as tax breaks and cash incentives draw production out of state...

...Gatto told the business owners that the primary purpose of the advisory commission meeting was to assist him in developing legislation based on the actual needs of constituents in time for introduction to the Assembly by the Feb. 22 deadline.

“Most bills these days are being conceived by and championed by special interests,” he said...

...Also discussed was Proposition 65, which requires businesses that serve alcohol to display cautionary signage. A provision in the law allows the public to sue businesses for up to $2,500 for each day the signage isn’t properly displayed.

Business owners complained that the law is easily abused by some people who file claims with the sole purpose of extracting settlements....

...On a separate track, Gatto said he hopes to pursue initiative reform while also seeking a way to prevent unscrupulous profiteering...

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Follow Daniel Siegal on Google+ and on Twitter: @Daniel_Siegal.

You can read this entire article and more at the Glendale News-Press HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Assemblyman Gatto Forms Small-Business Advisory Commission

Seeks public input on regulatory and statutory reforms to improve the state’s business climate.

November 29, 2012


Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) is seeking applications from local business owners to serve on his District 43 Business Advisory Commission.  The commission will meet several times in the months ahead, with the goal of formulating one or more legislative proposals that would be introduced by Assemblyman Gatto in the 2013 state legislative session.

Assemblyman Gatto said he welcomes input from the people working hard to keep businesses thriving.

“We hear often that our business climate could be improved. I’m interested in hearing any proposal that would make the regulatory and statutory environment more sensible and less burdensome for local business owners. ”

Last year, the assemblyman authored or co-authored several bills to support small businesses including AB 1616 (The California Homemade Food Act), AB 2026 (The Film Industry Tax Credit), and AB 1900, which created an entirely new in-state biofuel industry. He hopes the commission will help him to identify even more common sense solutions to the challenges facing local businesses.

“As lawmakers, we have a sacred duty to listen to the needs and concerns of those who help our communities thrive, and to do what we can to support them,” said Gatto.

Anyone interested in participating on the commission should email Assemblyman Gatto at Assemblymember.Gatto@assembly.ca.gov with the subject line ‘Business Commission.’

You can read this story and more at the Crescenta Valley Weekly by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.