BUSINESSES RIP SOUTH COAST FEE HIKES, DEMAND BETTER SERVICES

Southern California small businesses are blasting the South Coast air district over its plan to raise permitting fees on stationary sources, claiming the district must first improve staff services before any hikes can be justified. These businesses are also questioning the nexus the district is making between fee hikes and bolstering the district's retirement plan. The plan is significant because it could have negative economic impacts on thousands of regulated sources in the region, many of which are small businesses...