It's incredible that more than three decades after its passage, Proposition 13 is still such a polarizing political symbol – not only in California, but around the world. I remember meeting Howard Jarvis, the author of Prop 13, for the first time when I first started lobbying on tax issues for the California Manufacturers Association – a man with a true vision and a determination to match. Prop 13 has been copied in many other states.

In the business community most people revere Prop 13 for slashing property taxes and making it much more difficult to raise other taxes. It has to be said that the opposition sees it as the worst form of political devilry, denying sustenance to vital public services at the local level.

Over the years, the opposition to Prop 13 has tried many times to have it repealed but has failed. Over the last 10 years opponents have come to realize that a full frontal assault is bound to fail, so they have set about to change various pieces of the popular ballot initiative, such as its requirement of a two-thirds vote for any tax increase. The other major attack comes in the form Prop 13's application to business property.

A so-called "split roll" would treat business property very differently from residential property, requiring an annual assessment of property and/or an assessment when the business undergoes a change of ownership.

In 2009 the California Taxpayers Association issued a lengthy report concluding that property taxes on "business and non-homeowner property" had increased faster than taxes on owner-occupied homes. Thus there was no need to create a split roll.

The legislature will be grappling with this issue over the next few months. We may even see another ballot initiative on the subject. I believe it is a bad idea made even worse by the state of the economy. Businesses are striving to keep jobs and expand when possible. There are even signs of a slight recovery in the business climate. The split property tax roll would squash any signs of a healthy economic recovery.

FREDDIE MAC HOMES VENDORS

The following is a letter that Bill Douglas, Interim Registrar of the Structural Pest Control Board, wrote to Freddie Mac Homes. The board is interested in hearing whether any PCOC members have had any experience with this issue. If so, you are urged to contact the board at the address on the letterhead provided in the letter. Attention: Bill Douglas. Please copy PCOC in any correspondence. Click here to read the letter.

There are hundreds of potential new add-on services that can be implemented within your company.

There are also hundreds of potential problems that you can incur when adding those services to your company.

What add-on services are right for you and your company is is a tough call. When reviewing an add-on services you have to ask yourself many questions.

Some of those questions could be:

Have I exhausted my present services in the area I cover?

What funding will I need to get this going?

Do I have the manpower to move on this?

Do I have the knowledge on this product or service to sell and service it?

What are the training costs and time lines needed to move forward on this?

Am I organized enough to take on a new venture?

I have been called in to review many new products and/or services that companies I work with are considering. Many of the above questions were not asked. When we review the above (and more) we often find out that we are not doing what we could be with what we already have.

Yes, the grass is always greener on the other side and yes, some of those new add-ons can be quite fruitful, but BEFORE you jump into the water, you might want to test it first.

One company I worked with added on two new services at once. One of the services involved some small construction and after an investment was made the company's licensed construction employee left and started his own company with the new service. The company had no non-compete agreement and no back-up licenses.

Another situation involved getting involved with a franchise within our industry. Some of the franchises in this industry are well worth it and others are not. In this case, the individual signed the papers and within his second year found out that there was little training or support compared to what he was promised (it was not in writing).

Usually my first thought is: "Have we exhausted our present resources?" Many times within our own company we are not taking advantage of talent we already may have or can nurture. Sometimes we can simply expand our business by additional training or expanding our services and territories.

The point is – get some help. Do your homework and look before you leap.

BEFORE we take on a new challenge, we must be ready with funding, training and organizational skills. The ready – fire – aim attitudes rarely work. Creating a PLANNED STRATEGY and working the plan usually works.

Although I must warn you – the plan has to be realistic. Often that is the problem. It's easy to say "I will get four qualified people who will sell x amount of dollars in the first six months and then things will be fine." But where are you getting these four "qualified" reps? Who will hire them? How will they be paid? Who will do the training? Will they be licensed? Will there be a reporting system? Who will they report to? How long will their training be? Who will monitor their follow-ups? Who do you want them to call? What is the pricing structure? Shall I go on, or do you get the point?

Lloyd Smigel is the Keynote Speaker at the 2012 PCOC Expo.

2012 PCOC FUMIGATION BANNER BONANZA 

Contest runs from March 1-May 31, 2012.

Click here for the banner contest rules.

Among adults aged 18 or older, 8.4 percent of those employed full-time currently use illicit drugs, while 11.2 percent of those employed part-time do so. Legal drugs also have the potential for misuse: the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that about 7 million people currently abuse prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

The federal government does not require most private companies or individuals to have drug-free workplace policies. However, drug-free workplace programs can protect employers from the negative effects of substance abuse. Studies show that when compared with nonabusers, substance-abusing employees are more likely to:

• Change jobs frequently
• Be late to or absent from work
• Be less productive than other employees
• Be involved in a workplace accident
•  File a workers' compensation claim

Research also indicates that between 10 and 20 percent of the nation's workers who die on the job test positive for alcohol or other drugs. Some states offer employers with drug-free workplace programs a discount on workers' compensation premiums. And many states deny workers' compensation benefits to workers whose injuries are determined to be the result of substance abuse.

Should Your Program Include Drug Testing?

If you decide to include drug testing in your program, remember that laws designed to protect workers' civil rights could affect your workplace drug policies. These laws include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. These statutes limit how far an employer can go in investigating and disciplining employee drug use. Under the ADA, for example, employers cannot fire a drug addict who is already seeking treatment for his/her condition. State privacy laws might also apply.

These simple steps can help you avoid legal problems with your drug-free workplace policy:

• Consult an employment lawyer when introducing a new drug-free workplace policy or changing an existing policy.
• Make sure your policy clearly stipulates penalties for violations. If your policy includes drug testing, spell out who will be tested, when they will be tested and what will happen to employees who test positive.
• Make sure every employee receives and signs a written copy of your drug-free workplace policy.
• Make sure that all managers receive proper training in how to detect and respond to workplace drug and alcohol abuse.
• Keep detailed and objective records documenting any employee performance problems for all employees. Such records often provide a basis for referring workers to employee assistance programs.
• Never take disciplinary action against a worker simply because he/she is acting impaired. Some health conditions can make an individual seem impaired. If your drug-free workplace policy includes testing, do not take action before obtaining a positive result.
• Never accuse or confront an employee in front of coworkers. Hold all discussions in private, with another manager present to witness.
• Never single out an individual employee or particular group of employees for special treatment. Inconsistencies in policy enforcement may lead to discrimination charges.
• Try to get to know your employees as much as possible. This may help you more quickly identify workers who are in trouble or developing substance abuse problems.
• Most importantly, involve workers at all levels of your organization in developing and implementing your drug-free workplace policy. This will help ensure that policies and procedures are fair to everyone.

For more information, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program department at Jenkins Insurance Services at (877) 860-7378.

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