Turns out California has found one way to save and create certain kinds of jobs—spend like mad and raise taxes.

That job-creation strategy has worked quite well for government-sector workers. Problem is the statewide unemployment rate is still among the highest in the nation, and many private-sector employers are heading to states like Texas, where taxes are lower and regulations are lighter.

“I would love to have companies calling me saying, ‘We’d like to move to California, can you help us with that relocation?’ I get none of those calls,” says business relocation coach Joe Vranich. “The calls I do get are, ‘Hello, we want to move out of California, can you help us do that?’” Vranich says there’s no one reason why businesses leave.

He calls it “death by a thousand cuts,” where job creators get fed up with everything from high taxes to traffic gridlock and legal hassles.

Take Rick and Jack Newcombe, the father-son team that runs Creators Syndicate. A long legal battle with the city of Los Angles might end up being their company’s final cut. The Newcombes say the city arbitrarily stuck the company into a higher tax category and officials are applying the hike retroactively. City officials are demanding $400,000 in back taxes, but Rick Newcombe calls the whole episode “legalized theft,” adding that a tax penalty of that size would force the company to lay off 10 employees.

It’s ironic that such drama unfolds in a city where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is always doing something—transit projects! green jobs!— he hopes will stimulate the economy.

And steep statewide unemployment persists long after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger eagerly accepted billions in federal stimulus funds. In fact, the Bush-Obama scatter shot of bailouts, stimuli, and rescue plans has fallen well short of proponents’ promises.

Want to create and save jobs? Maybe it’s time for politicians to stop doing so much and start undoing some of their worst blunders.

“More Taxes or More Jobs?” is written and produced by Ted Balaker, who also hosts. Camera-Animation: Hawk Jensen; Associate Producer: Paul Detrick; Additional Photography: Alex Manning.

Approximately seven minutes. Go to http://reason.tv for downloadable iPod, HD and audio versions of this and all our videos.

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Good luck!

I never met this man, but I think he’s a cool guy! He also makes a great model! He really looks good here! It’s about time they have someone that looks good!

Force elementary teachers every two years into new grade assignments and new schools. Newly tenured 2nd grade teacher bragged was glad to have tenure, she didn’t have to worry about changing her lesson plans. Planned to use the same one for the rest of her teaching years!

Salary ranges from $33,000-$93,000 for the same job! Years of service, bull, same job!

In a district in which 75% of their kids can get free or reduced lunches, shameful! I am stunned at these salaries and flabbergasted that those parents are not flying!

The non-payment of lunches by those kids to see these salaries! Those teachers could pay for those kids lunches! The Observer Dispatch printed my job and name and salary for many years when I was there! No wonder they want it a secret!

If the administration wants teachers to do more, they cry FOUL, AGAINST MY CONTRACT! When it comes to money, those same teachers scream, “It’s in the best interest of the children”

Will they do an extortion job at a board meeting like they did last year when he attempted to change the art director’s job!

May he be successful this year! How many of these overpaid teachers would be willing to cut their salaries and contribute to their benefits to save their colleagues jobs? The bunch over $50,000, NEVER!
He needs to cut 12 teachers, $448,000. 6 at the elementary level and 6 at the secondary level.

$53,000 for an assistant summer school principal and counselor.

$271,877 for summer school for elementary school students.

$238,066 for three administrators.

$124,000 in special education.

Definitely YES for this one! $64,700 in fine arts.

When I was an art teacher, the building principal used to about the previous 2 art teachers he had forcing those kids to sit there with their hands folded! He said they were either afraid of those kids or they patronized those kids and that him off!

Said he never saw those kids create that kind of work before I arrived

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