Govt Greedyness (Sacramento: city hall, new house, buyer)

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Every year I find I'm spending more time on compliance... I would guess a 4 fold increase over the past 20 years...

When we opened a new facility in 1995... there was the typical regulatory approvals needed... since then, it seems just about every year there is a new fee or increased fee to a new agency... many of which over lap existing.

It has been especially prevalent in Health Care and Rental Property...

Twenty years ago, my rental agreement was a simple one page document with an attached one page inventory and condition sheet.

My Rental Agreements approach 30 pages and must constantly be up-dated to comply with City, County, State and Federal Law... I dare say assuring compliance is not possible on a small scale unless you are part of a larger association... the rules vary from city to city and even within cities...

Each new agency comes with new fees and site visits that take away productive time... I can proudly say I have have never failed an inspection... still doesn't take away the fact that more of my time is devoted to non-productive activities.

On the Health Care side... I guess I shouldn't complain... it has meant job security...

Case in point... To install a new Emergency Generator only required a one time electrical permit.

Fast forward 15 years and the cost of regulatory compliance for one modest generator is well over a $1000 dollars a year and involves multiple yearly site inspections. Above Ground Tank Permit, Hazmat Permit, Management Policy/Procedure, Air Quality Management Permit City and County Fire Department Inspection Fees... in addition to Federal DHS inspection.... and the kicker is this almost new generator, by hours run, is scheduled for obsolescence... not Statewide or Countrywide... only because it is in the Bay Area...

There was a time when a company could make a significant capital expenditure and project the benefit over a number of years... today, it's more luck in determining useful life as to when regulation forces retirement.

Strange twist is CA loss is another States or Country's gain... equipment no longer permitted in CA can be used just about anywhere else in the world...

No doubt about it... there has been a definite piling on of fees and corresponding increase in man hours just to keep current...

Almost every small manufacturing business I know from having worked in the industry has moved... many out of State and some, just out of the Bay Area.

All of this is part-and-parcel of how California has been systematically slaying its own golden goose. All the "green" laws, rules and regulations may make people feel good but they're of little, if any, use if they cause the sources of revenue to go elsewhere to conduct their business and take their jobs with them. The Legislature and the Administration seem unable, as well as unwilling, to strike a reasonable balance. The shrinking middle class and the huge defecit, at least in part, are the visible results.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

All of this is part-and-parcel of how California has been systematically slaying its own golden goose. All the "green" laws, rules and regulations may make people feel good but they're of little, if any, use if they cause the sources of revenue to go elsewhere to conduct their business and take their jobs with them. The Legislature and the Administration seem unable, as well as unwilling, to strike a reasonable balance. The shrinking middle class and the huge defecit, at least in part, are the visible results.

I look forward to your insight... especially with your knowledge of the inner workings of Sacramento.

Some things really do seem to boggle the mind as far as a regulatory items go.

I'm old enough to remember when the classrooms initiated a Green plan to only use plastic shopping bags... there was a huge push to save the trees... later, the same people wanted to ban plastic and go to paper bags because they were Greener

Antioch, had a huge Paper Plant that could handle anything from logs to paper recycling... the cost to operate the California plant were no longer justifiable...

Now, cities here want to ban or surcharge for all grocery bags... no more take out in foam containers and new ordinances that McDonald cannot include collectible toys with Happy Meals

It seems that many in CA have nothing better to do other than dictate how business is to be run...

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I look forward to your insight... especially with your knowledge of the inner workings of Sacramento.

Some things really do seem to boggle the mind as far as a regulatory items go.

I'm old enough to remember when the classrooms initiated a Green plan to only use plastic shopping bags... there was a huge push to save the trees... later, the same people wanted to ban plastic and go to paper bags because they were Greener

Antioch, had a huge Paper Plant that could handle anything from logs to paper recycling... the cost to operate the California plant were no longer justifiable...

Now, cities here want to ban or surcharge for all grocery bags... no more take out in foam containers and new ordinances that McDonald cannot include collectible toys with Happy Meals

It seems that many in CA have nothing better to do other than dictate how business is to be run...

Would that it were that straight-forward and simple. Most politicians, not just in California but country-wide at a minimum, always have their eyes set not on the issues at hand but the next election, reelection and/or a higher office. As a result they pander to those issues that are "sexy," newsworthy, feel good and either generally appealing or appealing to a large, would be/possible group of supporters and constituents.

A large percentage of the bills they "author" are written for them by special interests and come with financial "benefits" for them to carry them. An equally large percentage of bills are introduced to appease or attract a particular group, ethnicity, work group, age group, etc., knowing they won't likely get out of the house of introduction, much less pass. But they can still beat their chests, wipe a tear from their eyes and in a quavering voice say, "But I tried. I really tried." That's almost as good as getting a bill passed and signed into law.

[steel7]

Someday someone is going to go postal on our loser, greedy tax payer paid politicians. I forwarded this thread to the city of yucaipa but i doubt it if they even view it.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

It used to be that much of the impact of new dwellings was paid for with public revenue. So what ended up happening? Essentially taxpayer money was being used to fund sprawl. So taxpayers revolted and decided that "new development needs to pay for itself." Hence all the impact fees and system development charges. You can have higher taxes and lower fees, or lower taxes and higher fees. There's no free lunch. Some would argue that California has both higher fees and higher taxes than other areas. Overpopulation is an expensive issue to deal with.

Oh, there you go again beating that overpopulation drum, yet again.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

How do you spell "tiger?"

Hey, it's different when it's an online name

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by jimhcom

There were no building codes for residential housing prior to 1927 yet there are multitudes of homes built prior to 1927 that have stood the test of time, some in the south and east coast going back 300 years. The big difference between now and then is mortgage banking. It is not a coincidence that things like building permits and driver’s licenses were not required before 1913. When the Federal Reserve was established, the dominance of the banking industry began, now it is the overwhelming influence in our lives. There are also some counties in states like Montana who are so fed up with government abuse, they have abolished their building departments.

Hmmmm, interesting thoughts.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Hmmmm, interesting thoughts.

Very interesting. In our county here in the boondocks, there are no building codes. When we had our house inspected before purchasing it we chose a retired fire marshall/ investigator who definitely knew his stuff. The house is surprisingly well made with features that would exceed the building codes in most places. But you do have to be careful. Caveat emptor is decidedly the order of the day!

[Bluesmama]

[quote=nicet4;15373201] An architects seal for a residential building should be enough. They know the codes, they are licensed by the state and they know more about inspections than any overfed bureaucrat.

[quote] I think you would be highly shocked at how shoddy many architects are. I can think of a few that I wouldn't call on to build a shed.

But homes today are built to last about 20 years and, unfortunately, it often shows. Materials are cheaper quality.

[Ultrarunner]

[quote=Bluesmama;15432758][quote=nicet4;15373201] An architects seal for a residential building should be enough. They know the codes, they are licensed by the state and they know more about inspections than any overfed bureaucrat.

I think you would be highly shocked at how shoddy many architects are. I can think of a few that I wouldn't call on to build a shed.

But homes today are built to last about 20 years and, unfortunately, it often shows. Materials are cheaper quality.

In all fairness... the same was said about the post-war construction homes... 65 years later and they are still going strong.