Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) intensified personal outreach to business CEOs as major companies continue to leave the Golden State.
Since November, the governor has sent roughly 100 leaders of California-based companies cellphones with his direct line programmed into them. The “burner” cellphones are prepaid by the California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit organization, according to the governor’s office.
Newsom’s cellphone strategy to strengthen ties with the private sector was accompanied by personal notes from the governor to business leaders.
“If you ever need anything, I’m a phone call away,” said a note to one executive, according to Politico.
“This was the governor’s idea to connect more directly with business leaders in the state. The feedback has been positive, and it’s led to valuable interactions,” Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s communications director, told the Washington Examiner.
OUTMIGRATION COST CALIFORNIA $24B IN DEPARTED INCOMES AS POORER PEOPLE MOVE IN
Newsom’s move came as a flood of companies have left California to conduct operations in other states, particularly Texas. Elon Musk moved three of his multibillion-dollar companies, including Tesla, X, and Space X, out of the state, while other corporations, including Oracle, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, and Realtor.com, are among others that left California in recent months. A 2021 report by the California Policy Center found that 304 companies have left the Golden State since January 2019.
An analysis by the Santa Clara Business Law Chronicle concluded that the state’s tax laws and stringent regulations were one reason why some corporations chose to relocate to more business-friendly states such as Texas.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
