As another blogger’s post of California job losses is off the Juice radar I am posting the following Jan 6th story sent to me by Joe Holtzman,one of our regular readers. It was published in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger.
While I surely don’t wish to see us losing any jobs, this is a fact of life that we must recognize. California is not the only state suffering in this recession. Other states are doing “whatever it takes” to create local jobs.
This story reminds me of US Senate candidate, and former HP CEO, Carly Fiorina as she addressed supporters as to why they selected Texas over CA for manufacturing products after the acquisition/merger with Compaq. While Texas officials rolled out the red carpet to relocate manufacturing, our state representatives never placed a phone call to urge her to remain in our state.
I once traveled with an IL. corporation CEO who, during a contract negotiation, told a San Jose Fortune 500 corporation that he would do anything to win their contract renewal so long as it didn’t put his firm out of business. Stated simply we must put our arms around our customers or we run the risk of losing them.
What efforts, if any, did San Jose do to keep this local manufacturing firm from bailing out ?
Stion gets tax exemptions
Solar panel company promises to bring 1,000 jobs to Hub City in 6 years
Terry L. Jones • Hattiesbrug American • January 6, 2011
A $75 million loan isn’t the only incentive state officials used to lure a California-based solar panel manufacturer to Hattiesburg.
Stion, a San Jose company, will get tax incentives from local governments, too.
According to guidelines of an agreement approved by Hattiesburg and Forrest County officials Tuesday, Stion will receive local property tax exemptions.
Instead, the company, which manufactures high-efficiency thin-film solar panels, will pay annual fees to the city and county that will be used to support the company’s presence in Hattiesburg.
All of this is contingent on the company honoring its commitment to invest $500 million in land, buildings and equipment in Forrest County by 2017.
Stion will open a production facility in part of the former Sunbeam plant located in the Hattiesburg-Forrest County Industrial Park.
The city and county governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Stion, which promised to bring 1,000 jobs to Hattiesburg within six years.
“As far as the board was concerned, it was an easy decision for us when you’re talking about that much money coming into our local economy,” said David Hogan, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors. “The bottom line, to me, is that this actually isn’t costing Forrest County anything. To the contrary, Forrest County will still be receiving tax revenue – they just won’t be paying as much.”
The terms of the agreement, to be signed by Hogan and Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, stipulated that officials approve a “fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes” agreement over a 15-year period for any new property at its facility.
The annual payments will be due after the company’s capital investment in the facility has reached $100 million, officials said.
City and county officials said one-third of the projected revenue from Stion will be funneled into local schools.
The agreement states that 50 percent of revenue local government receives from Stion’s first annual “fee-in-lieu” payments will be allocated to the Forrest County Industrial Park Commission for project support.
That support includes payments to Pearl River Community College, the Mississippi Polymer Institute and the WIN Job Center for job training, infrastructure improvements to the company’s production plant, and reimbursements for designated utility extensions, site preparations and construction of pollution control equipment.
It is mandated that only the first six annual payments be allocated to the FCIPC.
“The revenue that the county will be receiving from Stion is approximately $300,000 starting off,” Hogan said.
Hogan said that figure will increase gradually over time to several million dollars in the next 10 to 15 years.
“Ours will probably take similar increases based on what they’re giving us,” DuPree said about the city’s revenue.
“We’ll be able to be more specific after they determine exactly what they’re going to do.
“The bottom line is: We have a company that’s going to have a significant impact on tax revenue for the city.”
The contract stipulates that the city/county support payments can be reduced and eliminated should Stion not meet certain work force requirements.
For instance, if 200 qualified jobs (new, full-time positions with an average salary of $43,000 a year) haven’t been created by the first payment, the city and county are not obligated to allocate funds to the FCIPC.
“There will be plenty of monitoring by the MDA, Secretary of State and Area Development Partnership,” DuPree said. “But when someone comes to you and says they’re going to invest $100 million of their own money into your area, and 50 percent of their capacity already sold – that’s the best scenario.”
The agreement states that Stion must repay the Legislature’s $75 million bond issue with interest in seven to 10 years. The state will monitor Stion’s work force annually at the end of each year of the agreement.
I recall challenging Vern Nelson to list those companies in California that have moved here from out of state, or are expanding their facilities here. His silence is deafening.
And here’s one scary quote from the Joe Vranich list of Ten Reasons Why Companies are Leaving California: “Bain & Company found that more than half of California business leaders – an astonishing 60 percent – said they have policies in place to restrict job growth in the state or move jobs to other U.S. locations. Intel has said it will never build another plant in California, and in March McAfee admitted it intentionally avoids hiring in California, has transferred entire departments elsewhere, and saves between 30 to 40 % every time it hires outside of the state of California.” Intel is an American icon, still headquartered here, but flipping state government the bird and moving much of its work out of state or overseas (like HP did to stay competitive). The
Vranich article is linked at http://cabproreport.typepad.com/weblog/2010/08/cost-of-doing-business-in-california.html.
You’d also think the unions would be in an uproar about this. Here’s an anecdotal reference often heard on talk radio that I don’t have time to research — maybe Nelson will — the drywall trade here was once dominated by middle-class black laborers who might have made about $15-20 an hour when building was actually being done in California. Since the beginning of this recession, the work hasn’t completely evaporated, but it’s been taken over by illegals who work for considerably less. One might also check out the article in yesterday’s Register about the hardwood flooring guy who’s now unemployed as he can’t make any money due to the Mexicans who now dominate that business. and will work for peanuts.
Dalton.
One of our corporate offices was located in Santa Clara within three miles of Intel. I am well aware of their game plan to look out of state for newer plants.
While I oppose “corporate welfare,” I am OK with this story on several fronts starting with the fact that they are moving into an existing building and, based on the report, are not planning any forcing eminent domain actions for their future expansion.
It’s not an eminent domain issue.
I’m still challenging ANYONE to offer examples of job growth and new commercial, revenue-generating facilities being built in California. Put another way, why is Texas kicking our ass?
Wait until Moonbeam lets CARB loose…what’s been a steady outflow will become a stampede. Ask anybody who owns or uses a diesel truck.
Dalton.
As I am very involved in eminent domain abuses I read the story and was comfortable discovering that they plan to begin in an existing plant.
Sadly we lost Prop 98 in CA where the property rights of business owners would have been safeguarded.
Prop 99 offers limited protection for long term owner occupied homes but offers zero protection for businesses, multi family lodging and family farms, each of which can be “taken” and transferred/sold to a private sector developer by a government agency when the current owner has no desire to sell.
Dalton,
“I’m still challenging ANYONE to offer examples of job growth and new commercial, revenue-generating facilities being built in California. ”
************
DONE;
(NIPTON, CA) October 27, 2010 – BrightSource Energy, Inc., developer of utility scale solar power plants, today celebrated the commencement of construction on its Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS). California Governor Schwarzenegger, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined with members of the BrightSource Energy team, project partners, and local, state and federal officials to commemorate the historic event. When constructed, Ivanpah will be the
world’s largest solar power plant.
“Today we are breaking ground on the largest solar project in the world, right here in California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “The construction of this renewable energy plant is great news for our state, and further proof that it is possible to both protect the environment and grow the
economy. Projects like this one are helping us meet our long-term energy and environmental goals, while creating jobs and moving us toward a cleaner, more sustainable future – a future where California leads the nation and the world in a clean energy revolution.”
(snip)
In addition to the Ivanpah groundbreaking event, BrightSource Energy today announced that power generation company NRG Energy will secure the largest ownership stake in the project by making an investment of up to $300 million. With this equity position, NRG will join BrightSource
in the construction, ownership, and operation of Ivanpah.
The Ivanpah Project: Clean Energy, Union Jobs, Environmentally-Responsible Design
Once completed, the 392 megawatt gross (370 megawatts nominal) Ivanpah project will nearly double the amount of solar thermal electricity produced in the United States today. When constructed, the project will:
– produce enough clean energy to power 140,000 homes
– reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 400,000 tons annually, the
equivalent of taking more than 70,000 cars off the road
– create more than 1,000 local union jobs at the peak of construction
– provide $650 million in employee wages over its first 30-year life
Dalton,
Another one;
Who is MiaSolé?
MiaSolé is a solar energy company developing Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic products. MiaSolé’s manufacturing process lays CIGS on a flexible stainless steel substrate. Based in Santa Clara, California, the company is focused on large-scale commercial and utility-scale projects.
What are MiaSolé’s goals?
MiaSolé’s ultimate goal is to enable grid parity between solar energy and traditional energy sources, such as fossil fuels, including coal and natural gas, by 2012.
How many employees does MiaSolé have?
In 2009, MiaSolé grew from 150 to 350 employees The company currently operates two California-based manufacturing facilities.
Who are MiaSolé’s customers?
MiaSolé is currently working with leading utilities, independent power producers and integrators to install its CIGS thin film solar products globally in utility ground mount and rooftop projects. To date, MiaSolé’s technology has been shipped to more than 30 customers in 7 countries around the world, including the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, India and Saudi Arabia.
Who are MiaSolé’s investors?
MiaSolé’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, VantagePoint Venture Partners, Firelake Capital Management, Passport Capital, Arcelor Mittal and Ecofin.
What is MiaSolé’s main product?
MiaSolé is a leading developer of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic solar panels, which are designed specifically for large-scale rooftop and ground mount installations for utilities, independent power providers and industrial scale deployments.
Dalton,
Another one;
Oct 27 2010
Tesla Hits Accelerator on Electric Car Factory
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk takes one of his company’s electric roadsters for a spin.
Tesla Motors this afternoon will officially open its manufacturing facility in Northern California for the Model S electric sedan it plans to make in addition to its high-end Tesla Roadster.
The electric car company plans to reopen the New United Motor Manufacturing facility once jointly operated by Toyota and General Motors. Toyota closed the NUMMI plant after GM bailed out of the facility in Fremont, California, when the American car maker was going through cutbacks and ultimately bankruptcy and a government bailout.
Reopening the NUMMI facility, though, can be seen at least symbolically as part of the rebirth of a new, more innovative American car industry. It’s the only car factory in California. Tesla has captured the imagination of many with its all-electric roadster—drawing such celebrities as Flea, bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as early customers. It’s also the first American auto company to go public since Ford in the 1950s.
But Tesla isn’t just an American story. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, invested $50 million in Tesla stock as Tesla went public, and is paying Tesla $60 million to develop an electric drive train for Toyota’s popular RAV4 crossover.
Read more: http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/daily-brief/2010/10/27/tesla-hits-accelerator-on-electric-car-factory#ixzz1AMpf7i00
Anonster,
Via John and Ken (Vern’s favorites) – in the last month, at least 4 “green” projects have moved out of state, including one that went back east to the tune of 1,000 jobs because the state gave the company a break on property taxes. You, Vern, and the other liberals can close your eyes to reality all you want, but it’s your state to finally destroy now. I only hope there are some real fiscal conservatives left to start over when you’re done.
Dalton,
I could go on, instead I will provide you with a link, so YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH (unless of course, your preconceived biases prevent you from actually learning anything new, then feel free to ignore all this info. and carry on in your ignorance).
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/US/byS/CA/byB/mfg/byN/byName.shtml
Newbie,
Yes, some businesses are moving out of state/country yet others are moving in, but the undeniable truth is that California has had a net growth in green jobs.
Inconvenient News on Texas;
But there’s one state, which is fairly high up on the list of troubled states that nobody is talking about, and there’s a reason for it.
The state is Texas.
This month the state’s part-time legislature goes back into session, and the state is starting at potentially a $25 billion deficit on a two-year budget of around $95 billion. That’s enormous. And there’s not much fat to cut. The whole budget is basically education and healthcare spending. Cutting everything else wouldn’t do the trick. And though raising this kind of money would be easy on an economy of $1.2 trillion, the new GOP mega-majority in Congress is firmly against raising any revenue.
So the bi-ennial legislature, which convenes this month, faces some hard cuts. Some in the Texas GDP have advocated dropping Medicaid altogether to save money.
So why haven’t we heard more about Texas, one of the most important economy’s in America? Well, it’s because it doesn’t fit the script. It’s a pro-business, lean-spending, no-union state. You can’t fit it into a nice storyline, so it’s ignored.
But if you want to make comparisons between US states and ailing European countries, think of Texas as being like America’s Ireland. Ireland was once praised as a model for economic growth: conservatives loved it for its pro-business, anti-tax, low-spending strategy, and hailed it as the way forward for all of Europe. Then it blew up.
This is the sleeper state budget crisis of 2011, and it will be praised for doing great, right up until the moment before it blows up.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/texas-state-budget-crisis-2011-1#ixzz1AMzdSH8F
In Ohio most anyone especially in small rural area, would be happy to find any job at minimun wage ( 7.25hr) and many will work under the table for 3-5 an hour just to try to survive.Because of the great number of people seeking work.
The better paying jobs will go to the best trained and educated, the jobs that just take physical labor will continue to face more competition and lower pay. Speaking more than one language will help in finding work aIso, the fact that many would like to go back in time to where just speaking english guarenteed success, it is not happening and not going to happen, we live in a global enviroment now.
As to keeping companies here, we have to make deals that are win/win deals for both the State and the companies. We seem to swing fromcomplete give aways to corperate interests on one hand and then we over regulate and tax to make up for it. We need to carefully and thoughtfully look at our policies with an open mind and base our decisions more on facts rather than contributions from big donors or party line views.
Jim. Well articulated.
Yeah….This is a BS argument.
First of all, I really don’t think we need to be in a “race to the bottom” with Mississippi.
Secondly, Larry is only looking at one instance of Green Tech. Which is a manufacturing component. It could be that they are expanding into the Eastern segment of the market and it’s cheaper to grow in that area than ship across country. Which is also “greener”.
When you look at the job growth in areas like , energy effeciency, renewable fuels and tranportation, the job growth is sometimes in the triple digits. The venture capital that has been brought into the state continues into the billions.
Altogether, it looks like Larry found one instance that got bent into his argument, but isn’t backed up by any data or fact……..
The following link is a great read but , check out page 53…
http://www.next10.org/next10/pdf/GII/Next10_GII_2010.pdf
And this link is “data and fact”? This is bullshit. Who paid them to write it?
Gericault.
Larry did not discover the source I referenced. It was found by starting with someone else’s reference and challenge.
While your hair may be messed up by all the recent rains, I would opine that CA has almost as much sun as found in Florida, the other sunshine state.
Solar panels are not very practical in Seattle. However, as confirmed by the just released census, CA remains the largest population state. And you try to defend losing a solar product manufacturer to the smaller state of Mississippi?
Several of our immediate neighbors have installed these type panels on their homes as we are in the sun almost every day.
Obviously you know zip about manufacturing. It’s advantageous to be near your customer be it shipping costs and delivery timing or follow-up service calls.
Come back when you can make a better argument.
T3 Motion in Costa Mesa seems to be doing good:
http://www.t3motion.com/
Sadly, America as a whole is losing jobs. You can squabble about a few jobs here or there but what gets made in America anymore? Where is your TV, cable modem, computer, cell phone, furniture, bicycle, solar panel, etc. made? Most things are made overseas which makes it fairly impossible for California or any other state able to compete. It used to be the best quality products in the world were made in America. Now we just settle for second rate stuff at Costco and Walmart and wonder why there aren’t enough jobs to go around. On a related note, China now has a stealth fighter along with killer satellites and is building a huge navy. It’s only a matter of time before they are the next super power thanks to consumer buying habits and our politicians not protecting our jobs.
JT.
Globalization is a double edged sword.
A few years ago I recall reading a story by an east coast congressman who tried to purchase an electronic device of some type for one of his children. While his search focused on selecting one Made in the USA, he admitted dropping that self driven criteria as he was able to get a superior product, with more features, at a sizeable saving, from an off-shore manufacturer.
There are multiple facets to this issue including tariffs and import/export duties.
Are you suggesting that we tack on an additional $200 on every big screen Samsung or Panasonic HDTV that comes into the port of Long Beach from an Asian country?
And do you think that their government will not reciprocate and ban products from the US or impose still penalties on our exports?
Let me cite a recent complaint filed by the US Steelworkers Union regarding cheap truck and automobile tires imported from China where we planned to impose a 35% levy to level the playing field. China is appealing that decision with the WTO.
Check out that story and the World Trade Organization, WTO.
Larry Gilbert,
I agree. World Trade is complicated. Look at Germany though. Germany does an excellent job of looking out for German citizens. Germans have it much easier finding domestically made products. They have the fourth largest economy in the world and have better health care, educational systems, and worker benefits than what most Americans have. They also have more solar power and are way more green and sustainable. Germany is not in any trade war that I know. Even IF they are, it’s definitely not hurting their economy.
I think America should be a little more like Germany and less like what neo-con artists like George W. want America to be like. The neo-con ideal is to have a huge military we can’t afford, buy everything from China from warehouse stores, abuse the Federal Reserve, outsource jobs to India, build more jails, abuse illegal immigrant labor but say they are against it, blame everyone else for the problems they create, and take away as many civil liberties and personal freedoms as possible.
As far as California goes, I don’t mind if it depopulates a bit (it’s a bit too crowded anyway). I doubt it will though because the weather is so nice. It wouldn’t bother me if we just stuck with farming, movies, and tech and have things manufactured in other states (especially if it’s something toxic that is banned in California). I’d rather have trade between states than China.
Anonster: Fyi, Ivanpah is in Nevada.
Corey,
Read and learn;
“Today we are breaking ground on the largest solar project in the world, right here in California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.
Anonster, allow me. Just posted by Sen. Tom Harman on Facebook:
California solar firms lured to other states
January 7, 2011 | Joanna Lin
Living Off Grid/Flickr
Just as Gov. Jerry Brown begins his term – after a pledge to create 500,000 green jobs – financial incentives are luring some California solar panel manufacturers to expand in other states.
This week, two Silicon Valley solar panel manufacturers announced they would build factories in southern states that offered business-friendly conditions and strong clean energy markets.
Stion, based in San Jose, will invest $500 million to build its new production facility in Hattiesburg, Miss., after the state agreed to a $75 million loan, and tax and training incentives. AQT Solar of Sunnyvale said it would spend $300 million to open its plant in Blythewood, S.C. The factories are expected to generate 1,000 jobs each.
And just before the new year, Wisconsin announced $28 million in tax credits to relocate a Chatsworth solar panel firm to the state. W Solar Group, located just outside Los Angeles, expects to create about 620 jobs at its new home in Dane County, Wis.
“Should California worry about a mass exodus?” asked Solar Industry, a trade magazine.
The state has embraced the solar industry and is eager to see it expand. But California is facing more competition from other states.
“I would say that California’s incentives specifically relating to the mass production of solar panels are improving but not yet competitive to some other states,” Frank Yang, Stion’s senior director of business development, said in an e-mail. “We hope this will continue to change.”
California has committed $30.6 million in federal stimulus funds to renewable energy manufacturing and production. On the campaign trail, Gov. Jerry Brown called clean energy the “key to our economic future,” proposing major investment in solar and wind power and pledging to create half a million green jobs by 2020.
“California is such a wonderful incubator of talent and incubation,” AQT Solar CEO Michael Bartholomeusz told Solar Industry. “They incubate companies like us, and then companies migrate to other locations.”
Stion and AQT Solar say they are not pulling out of the state, where both manufacturers already operate plants. Yang said Stion is developing expansion plans for its San Jose facility, which currently employs 110 people – a tenth of its eventual workforce in Mississippi.
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/california-solar-firms-lured-other-states-7893
Dalton,
Why is it that you right-wing blatherers can NEVER admit when you are WRONG?
“I’m still challenging ANYONE to offer examples of job growth and new commercial, revenue-generating facilities being built in California. ”
I will REPEAT myself, yes, some Green businesses are leaving California, others are moving in or expanding, but the UNDENIABLE TRUTH is that there HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF GREEN JOBS IN CALIFORNIA!
As for “Governor Steroid”, I bet you voted for him, but I sure as hell didn’t.
Point your middle- finger at yourself or at your nutty right-wing brethren!
Anonster. In case you did not read today’s Sac Bee:
Viewpoints: Many jobs gone forever despite onset of recovery
By Darry SragowSpecial to The Bee
Published: Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 13A
As Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature start to tackle our current economic and financial crisis, buried deep in the legislative analyst’s report on California’s economic outlook is an elephant in the room no one wants to acknowledge.
You will find it on pages 14 and 15 of the November report: “While U.S. employment has dropped about five percent since 2007, employment in California has declined nine percent,” about 1.4 million jobs.
And what follows is the unacknowledged elephant: “Total employment in California does not return to its 2007 pre-recession levels in our forecast until 2016.”
Many of the jobs lost in the Great Recession are never coming back. Never.
Not even if consumers start to spend more. Not even if businesses start to spend more. Not even if we rebuild our manufacturing base or repatriate work shipped overseas or heed calls to make California a more “business friendly state,” whatever that means. Why?
We no longer need people to perform many of the functions that used to be done by humans. The full featured report can be read here: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/08/3308378/many-jobs-gone-forever-despite.html
Larry,
What is the point you are trying to make?
Anonster. Not sure if it was you or Anon making a point of green and new jobs coming to our state.
Of course receiving stimulus money has an inital impact.
And for Tesla Motors I am pleased to see them moving into the Freemont plant that was just down the freeway from Sun Micro one of our major customers.
The Sac Bee story is one that applies to the Obama campaign when out of work Americans in the heartland were deceived about lost jobs coming back. While some might, the vast majority have been lost and will not return.
Larry,
I have proven that there are green jobs being created in our state, yes, some have gone to other states, but overall there HAS been green job growth in California.
When it comes to alternative energy California will be a major player, we have the people, we have the land, we have the sun.
Oh and by the by, we lost 25% of US manufacturing jobs on GW Bush’s watch.
Job Loss Due to President Bush’s Trade Policy
John English (2008)
The Problem
Since President Bush took office, the United States’ trade deficit—the gap between what the United States exports and imports—has reached historic levels. Large sustained trade deficits mean that the United States is consuming much more than it is producing. Just like a household that spends more than it earns, this national gap must be financed by borrowing.
Chronic trade deficits over the past decade have led to a rising foreign debt, the displacement of millions of jobs from the manufacturing sector, and downward pressure on the wages of non-college
educated workers.
• Since President Bush took office, the U.S. trade deficit has nearly doubled from $379 billion (2000) to $700 billion (2007).
• The trade deficit with China alone tripled from $83 billion in 2000 to $256 billion in 2007.
• As a share of the economy, the overall trade deficit rose from 3.9% of GDP in 2000 to a peak of 5.7% in 2006, before moderating slightly to 5.1% of GDP in 2007.
• In President Bush’s first term, the United States lost 1.9 million jobs to trade deficits.
• In 2007, the bilateral trade deficit with China represented 1.85% of the entire economy. Growth in this deficit since 2001 has displaced 2.3 million net jobs.
• Between 2000 and June 2008, the United States lost 3.4 million manufacturing jobs.
Recent estimates have predicted that next year China will overtake the United States as the world’s largest producer of manufactured goods.
Anonster.
It really doesn’t matter who is at the helm as it relates to competing with the Republic of China in manufacturing.
If not for the current recession the balance of trade numbers would probably be the same with regards to president Obama’s time in office.
One answer is our trade policy. Notice that president Clinton did not submit the Kyoto Protocol to the US Senate for ratification. If that had passed, with the green house gas focus, we would be in worse shape today.
At one of our international conferences I met with a representative of the nation of India pointing out our exploiting their workers by creation of lower paying jobs. He took a different approach to US/India manufacturing partnerships. By our outsourcing to his country we were creating jobs in India that ultimately lifted their citizens out of poverty. He also pointed out that living costs are somewhat lower than in the states. We surely cannot refute that statement.
Right, and where was this shyster coward MFer when other firms were leaving? Did you see the Governor Steroid trying to talk them into staying or was he commuting sentences for knife-wielding Mexican punks? Go wash your hands.
For all the deniers (it’s nice to use that term against liberals for a change), here’s the updated list from one indvidual tracking companies leaving California – it’s up to 158 as of October last year:
http://jan.ocregister.com/2010/10/13/14-companies-added-to-leaving-california-list/47020/
Take note that 5 of the recently added 14 companies are “green” projects that California touts so much with its job killing green laws and regulations.