When it comes to innovation and job creation, let’s keep the gold in the Golden State.
The role of private equity in funding the growth of many bread-and-butter, consumer-based firms that call California home – companies such as Peet’s Coffee and El Pollo Loco – is in serious jeopardy due to the possible re-emergence of faulty legislation in 2019.
Last year in the Legislature there was a proposal (Assembly Bill 2731), borne of understandable but misguided frustration over federal tax policy, that would have pushed the private funds financial services industry to other states. Fortunately, that proposal did not advance. Lest California lawmakers think again about cutting off an economic engine in a self-destructive over-reaction, the idea should be permanently shelved.
California is the earth’s epicenter for innovation, attracting entrepreneurs and talent from across our state and around the globe. It’s blessed with world-class universities, robust markets, and it’s been a pace-setter in emerging industries. All of this is made possible by one essential element – access to capital.
Data from 2016 shows that the Bay Area is the number one market in the nation for venture capital, generating an impressive $23 billion in investment; more than three times that of New York sitting at number two.
A proposal like AB 2731 would put a chokehold on venture capital in the state by creating a 17 percent add-on income tax on the private funds financial services industry. The tax would apply to so-called “carried interest income” earnings – but interestingly enough only in the financial services sector, not in other sectors such as real estate, oil and gas development in which such earnings are also common.
An economic impact analysis of the proposal conducted by a professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business understandably concluded that the tax would be “so impactful that the industry will likely move out of state.”
The consequences of such a flight from California would be devastating. The industry directly employs more than 100,000 workers and pays a combined $2 billion a year in state and local taxes.
The American Investment Council estimates that private equity companies invested $66 billion in 583 California companies in 2017 alone. Those companies combined provided more than 400,000 jobs. In addition, an estimated 5,200 California-based companies now with more than 250,000 workers relied on venture capital funding to get off the ground.
To push back against federal tax policy by even considering a large, state-only tax increase on an industry that fuels economic growth and job production is destructive folly. Jobs would be lost, economic growth would be diminished and there would be a net loss in state and local tax revenue as a result of industry flight from California. This proposal failed last year, and should not be reconsidered this year. There is never a good time for a bad idea.
Carl Guardino is president & CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
This column previously appeared in the Sacramento Bee
I have one issue with Mr. Guardino’s column: His statement about education; California is ” blessed with world-class universities”. Our colleges have become elitist left leaning pandering organs of our, now, grovelling political cabal that wants nothing more than expanding their reins of power, not only in California, but looking forward to 2020.
The goal of the socialists is to drive everyone out of California that doesn’t answer to paid for lap dog. Then when the toe suckers among them who hadn’t planned on what to do for “someone else’s money”,find out that all the people paying income taxes have left the state and the only people left are rank filled with folks taking their pay daily under the table.
The next move from the top of the pile will come in the form of a sales tax(something the under table crowd can’t avoid)after 3 or 4 years of running deficits that are a no-no in the financial community (especially if you’re trying to borrow money and trust me, at this point YOU are trying to borrow money), the gang who couldn’t shoot straight will raise the sales tax to 50% of purchase whereupon all the people left will quietly disappear over the southern border. At this point the only ones left will be the homeless and the smartest guys in the room. These two groups will fight it out for top prize, which is, they will get to go to Madera and wait the rest of their lives for the train from nowhere.
A sales tax on services of all kind.
In a way it would be good if the socialist puke Duna in SakraMoskow did pass the stupid legislation – it would drive Kali into bankruptcy that much quicker.
should be Duma not Duna
Exactly what I have been saying all along….These 1%ers, Rich that the Democrats keep saying should pay more, already do!!! Plus they are the job creators, without them this whole Nation will go Bankrupt!!! As far as making everything Free…These young people are so used to hanging onto their mama’s tit that they want their free ride to continue with us as parents paying for it in Higher Taxes!!! Grow Up and Go to Work just like we did…No More Free Rides!
The best way to realize your goal is to eliminate the Legislature.
They are a parasite sucking the life-blood out of the state.