The adult cinema industry, according to the Los Angeles Daily News, is "all but ceased in Los Angeles County" and at risk of pulling out all together because of recently passed ‘Measure B,’ a voter-approved regulation mandating the use of prophylactics in adult films:
Film LA, the non profit organization that processes permits for motion picture, television and commercial production across Los Angeles, has seen applications for permits from the adult film industry plummet to only two so far this year. In previous years, an estimated 500 film permits are requested by the adult film industry annually.
"Most production companies have ceased shooting in LA County," said Diane Duke, chief executive officer of the Canoga-Park based Free Speech Coalition, the trade organization for the adult film industry. "They have other options in other states and communities."
The adult cinema industry injects roughly $7 billion into the California economy. Sure, depending on with who you talk to, adult films are somewhat socially touchy, but they nevertheless employ thousands of hard-working and tax paying actors, writers, directors, and technicians. According to the AP, Measure B is even more devastating than Obamacare, swallowing as many as 10,000 jobs.
Duke spoke on California's business climate at large.
"Whether warranted or not, California has a reputation of being unfriendly to business and this senseless crusade against the industry does nothing more than support that reputation," Duke said. "This is no time to play Russian Roulette with a vital industry that provides tens of thousands of living wage paying jobs for Californians."
Par for the course. California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has been engaged in an all-out blitz on his state’s economic future.
In February, he dueled with his counterpart from Texas, Rick Perry, in a battle of ideologies, pitting the constricting regulations that line the Pacific Coast against the Lone Star State’s wide-open business climate. And just last week, Pat’s Son paid homage to our Chinese overlords, pandering for that cheddar to pair with California’s renowned wine.
And of course there's another measure Moonbeam erected with the help of California voters, Proposition 30, which raised income taxes for earners of $300,000 and above and will help guarantee California’s economy remains flaccid.