So let me get this straight We voted to extend the term limits of City Council members because they convinced us that 12 not merely eight years in office are necessary to solve the major issues of our region. Having given them this vote of confidence for their stellar achievements so far, and with the expectation of continued excellence, we can no doubt anticipate significant successes on the part of the Council in reducing traffic congestion, achieving a strategic approach to growth and development, enjoying a streamlining of city services, diminishing the influence of gangs, and eliminating the gross receipts taxes. In return for these anticipated improvements to our quality of life, effective this coming January, each of these public servants will be compensated with an annual salary of $171,000, a city car, and other perks. And, yes, for those who are wondering, that does make ours the highest-paid City Council members in the nation. Recently, one of these 15 Council members expressed surprise that Los Angeles continues to be perceived as a city of lawmakers unfriendly to business. Are they clueless? Late last year, our City Council passed an ordinance targeting large grocery stores. Supermarkets larger than 15,000 square feet were ordered to keep existing employees on the payroll for at least 90 days after an ownership change. And do they think this will encourage large stores to open for business in our Fair City? No surprise that this ordinance is now tied up in a lawsuit that argues that such a law is discriminatory. And of course, we taxpayers are footing the bill for the defense of this blatantly anti-business ordinance. And just last week, the Council mandated how much 12 hotels on Century Boulevard near LAX should pay their employees, how to distribute service charges and tips, and when they can replace employees in the event of a sale of the hotel. Up until now, the city has dictated adherence to its living wage ordinance to companies located on city-owned property or which have a city contract. These hotels fall into neither category; they are located on private property and do not have contracts with the city. Noted economist Milton Friedman was given the Nobel Prize for economic science and has been a senior research Fellow at the Hoover Institution since 1977.He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science. He summed up the problem as neatly as one could: “The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.” In an October 30 editorial, our beleaguered Los Angeles Times got it right: “That so few members of the Council abide by basic principles of economics is a disturbing indicator of the degree of control that organized labor exerts over city government. Repeat after us: Killing jobs does not benefit workers.” Listen up Council: Your union supporters are taking you too far down the road of rules, regulations, and restrictions. Until now, leaders in the business community have bemoaned the fact that Los Angeles is a union-ruled city and done little about it. Complaining changes nothing. So, what’s the solution? I suggest lunch. A lunch whose attendance will include the presidents or chairs of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Central City Association, the Economic Alliance, Latin Business Association, VICA, and perhaps one or two more. Let the agenda be a simple one: how to create an effective alliance of all of this city’s business organizations around the simple concept of supporting business-friendly actions and opposing business-unfriendly actions of our city government. Yes, that is what many of these groups do now individually, but unilateral action is not getting the job done. On those issues which relate to its viability and growth and that of our region business must not only speak as one voice but communicate its benefits to all. The plan should include means of demonstrating the importance of business to all the citizenry of Los Angeles; educating the employees of every coalition member that their jobs depend on businesses staying here; and showing government and the media that growth depends on businesses locating here. The only other option is to sit around and watch our local elected officials and their union backers slowly strangle the spirit of entrepreneurialism and business-building that made this region great. “That government is best which governs the least.” Thomas Jefferson Martin Cooper is Chairman of Cooper Beavers, Inc., marketing and communications. He is the Immediate Past Chairman of VICA, Past President of the Public Relations Society of America-Los Angeles Chapter and of the Encino Chamber of Commerce, and is Vice President of the Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission. He can be reached at [email protected].