FBA in the News
About FBA
FBA of California
Information about the Family Business Association of California.
Will the California Supreme Court Let Voters Decide Tax Hikes?
The upcoming November ballot in California could redefine the state’s tax landscape. That’s due to an initiative backed by business groups designed to protect Californians from what proponents describe as an unsustainable state tax regime. Read more
Running a Family Business in California Isn’t Easy
Comstock’s Magazine, 10/11/23
The line from “The Godfather,” “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business,” does not apply to the members of a family business. For us, there are a wide range of emotions that start at an early age as we realize that we are part of something that consumes our parents’ time, including conversations at dinner and the holidays. These emotions continue into adulthood and certainly drive many decisions regarding our futures. Read more
Lawsuit targets new law forcing elected officials to recuse on matters involving campaign donors
The Orange County Register, 2/23/23
Plaintiffs say the anti-pay-to-play law is unconstitutional, though supporters call it the most significant conflict-of-interest reform in 50 years. Read more
Help California’s businesses, repeal PAGA
The Orange County Register, 7/7/21
Shortly after Dee Dee Myers became director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-BIZ) late last year, she said she understood the challenges the state’s high costs and strict regulations impose on businesses. Read more
FBA's Monroe, Rivinius featured on family business podcasts
FBA Chairman Ken Monroe and Executive Director Robert Rivinius have been featured on recent family business-oriented podcasts. Hosted by Jonathan Goldhill, the Disruptive Successor Show featured Monroe, President and CEO of Holt of California sharing his story of stepping into the family business with a different career in mind and how he worked his way up from a salesperson to turning it into an elite organization that employs over 650 employees on the most recent episode. Rivinius, meanwhile, discussed the importance of FBA and its vital role, especially in the pandemic, where many family-owned businesses have been affected on a previous show.
Family businesses can’t be left holding the bag in California
In recent months, there’s been a lot of attention paid to some high-profile California businesses who have decided to move some or all of their operations to lower-cost states. Read more
New blueprint for economic recovery may impact hiring; ‘Some constraints are going to be with us until we can get the pandemic under control’
The new state guidance for reopening while living amid the COVID-19 pandemic presents a framework for short-term recovery, but it also raises questions about more job losses and business closures. Read more
It’s an easy decision to vote against tax increases on commercial property
CalMatters, 6/4/20
The Oakland mayor is correct. It will be an easy decision to determine how to vote on the gigantic $12 billion commercial property tax increase on the November ballot. Just vote no.
In 1978, voters passed Proposition 13 because they were being taxed out of their homes and businesses. Prop. 13 changed that by creating certainty and predictability. Read more
Unleash private enterprise to jumpstart California’s economy with these four moves
Two months into California’s economic lockdown, it’s time to start working on creating a V-shaped economic recovery.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has shown strong leadership during the past couple months in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Now he needs to unleash the power of private enterprise to protect our livelihoods. Read more
Family businesses are vital to the Capital Region and state
Comstocks Magazine, 9/30/19
My first real job — one with a paycheck with taxes deducted — was at the Crab Claw in Ocean City, Maryland. It was a summer job busing tables, and I most likely landed it because my father, a prominent architect, was acquainted with Mr. Higgins (we never called him Ed, of course, but some could be overheard calling him Old Man Higgins, though he was barely 40 at the time). Read more
FBA cited as opponent of Prop. 10 in news report
KRCR, 11/6/18
North Coast News has you covered there. Here’s a rundown of each of the 11 state propositions that every California voter will see on their ballot today.
Those against Prop 10 say the measure would also put as many as 539 rental boards in charge of housing, giving them unlimited power to add fees on housing that would be passed on to tenants in the form of higher rent.
The Association of Realtors, Family Business Association of California and the California Chamber of Commerce are among the groups who support “no” on Prop 10… Read more
Why would California tax family businesses to death?
The Sacramento Bee, 7/5/18
Chuck Collins, a researcher for a progressive Washington, D.C., think tank, recently wrote a ringing endorsement of a proposed 2020 ballot measure that would impose a state-level estate tax to pay for free college for all Californians (“One way to offer free college: Restore the state estate tax,” Viewpoints, June 13)…. Read more
A California Death Tax Would Hurt Business
San Francisco Chronicle, 4/24/17
The bill faces its first hearing Wednesday before the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, and the Family Business Association of California will do everything in our power to stop this… Read more
Time for Advocacy on Key Family Business Challenges
Crain’s Cleveland Business, 6/5/16
The pioneer in that effort is California, whose legislature in 2014 approved a bill to define and recognize family businesses. The governor vetoed the bill, but a similar one was introduced… Read more
Talk of the Town
RKR Marketing, 3/14/14
RKR Marketing interview with Robert Rivinius and Grant Deary.
Family Advocate: A new family-business crusader emerges
Comstocks, 5/1/13
This lack of representation at the State Capitol on matters uniquely tied to family business was the driving force behind the creation of the Sacramento-based Family Business Association in October 2011… Read more
California business groups file lawsuit seeking to block new campaign finance law
The Sacramento Bee
California business groups and two local elected officials have filed a lawsuit to block a new state law that seeks to reduce “pay to play” scenarios in local politics. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Sacramento Superior Court, names the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) as a defendant. It was filed by Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume, who was elected in November; Rancho Cordova City Councilman Garrett Gatewood; the California Restaurant Association; California Retailer’s Association; California Building Industry Association and several other lobbyist groups, including FBA. Read more
UN’s latest climate report should be terrifying to us all. | Letters to the editor
Imagine a gathering where 650 people from all over the world, with varying backgrounds, education, religion and political viewpoints, agree on every single word of a 37-page document. Sounds challenging, doesn’t it? So perhaps we should heed the words in that report, the sixth assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that warned us — yet again — that climate change threatens our way of life. Read more
New California pay-to-play law taken to court
For a bill described by its author as “the most significant political reform of the last 50 years,” Senate Bill 1439 sure didn’t get much attention when it was working its way through the Legislature last year. Read more
Suit challenges Calif. law barring businesses from weighing-in on local elections
The law, which bars businesses but not labor unions from making contributions to favored local candidates, sent local elected officials scrambling at the end of 2022. Read more
California Lawmakers Must Protect Family Businesses in 2021
California Globe, 12/9/20
These days, it is hard to avoid headlines about the latest businesses going under and more lost jobs due to COVID-19 in California. But not only are California’s businesses suffering like most across the country, we have it even worse for one reason: lawmakers did virtually nothing last session to protect our businesses against California’s worsening lawsuit abuse problem. With everyone back in Sacramento, my hope is that issue will seriously be considered this year. Read more
OTHER VOICES: Business friend or foe? Lawmakers have a choice for recovery
California’s 1.4 million family-owned businesses are in the fight of their lives.
Some have been shuttered since March, still waiting nervously for an all-clear from state officials. While their revenue stopped, the bills kept coming. And many voluntarily kept paying wages, health benefits and other costs to take care of their greatest asset: their employees. Read more
Sunday Morning Newsmakers 05-31-20 Seg 3
AM 870 The ANSWER, 5/31/20
Ken Monroe, President/CEO of Holt of California and Chairman of the Family Business Association of California - He says, “Unleash private enterprise to jumpstart California’s economy with these four moves.” Read more
It's time for California to put family-business designation into state law
Comstock’s Magazine 10/11/19
Family businesses have been the backbone of California’s bustling economy since statehood. I’ve witnessed this firsthand as the proud owner of a family business that dates back to 1931, providing Caterpillar equipment in 16 counties throughout the state — from Merced to Yuba City — for a wide range of customer needs, including heavy construction and agriculture. Read more
PAGA reform would help grow our economy
Los Angeles Daily News, 7/5/19
You can’t watch TV or go online these days without hearing about more and more politicians who are calling for America to become a socialist nation. With California’s presidential primary just nine months away, these calls will become even louder in the months ahead.
As a family business owner and chairman of the Family Business Association of California, I’d argue that in many ways we already live in a socialist state. After all, a basic definition of socialism is that the state redistributes the wealth and controls the means of production. Through high taxes and ever-increasing regulations, California does both quite effectively.
But there are other ways the state redistributes wealth, and one of the most egregious is the Private Attorneys General Act, or PAGA. Read more
My turn: Regulations and taxes stifle family businesses
CalMatters, 9/11/18
Family business owners look to the next quarter-century, not just the next quarter. We treat our employees as extended family. As a result, many of them stay with us for decades. And we strive to provide top-quality products and services…Read more
California bill won’t target tax rules for multinationals
Bloomberg BNA, 5/18/17
A California senator has dropped plans to change the state’s tax treatment of multinational companies with foreign affiliates, but is pushing a bill to end three other tax provisions he calls loopholes… Read more
Family Policy
Comstock’s, 10/14/16
The Family Business Association of California is a lobbying firm founded to protect the interests of California family businesses in the state legislature, and to “fight against proposals which will add new regulations and costs to family businesses.”… Read more
Family Businesses in California - The Backbone of Our Economy
The IE Voice, 4/8/14
The Family Business Association’s mission is to provide an incentive for family businesses to create jobs and invest in California, propose initiatives for needed change, defend against hostile, unfavorable legislation and regulations, take legal action to protect family business, and communicate to members, the public, and public policy makers all aspects and benefits of the family business… Read more
Family businesses form trade association
Sacramento Business Journal, 10/30/12
The Family Business Association was formed by 22 prominent family-owned companies, including such local businesses as Pacific Coast Building Products, Nor-Cal Beverage Co. Inc., Raley’s Inc., Ramco Enterprises and Tony’s Fine Foods…Read more
Media Contact
John Frith
The Write Stuff Communications
(916) 765-6533 | john@twscommunications.com
PRESS RELEASES
Family Business Association Recognizes 2 Bay Area Companies
The Advisory Group, Cal Color Growers both celebrating 25 years in business in 2016 The Family Business Association of California today honored two of its member companies for celebrating 25 years as family-owned companies this year. The Advisory Group is a San...