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Hed — Slumbering Business

How did business do in last week’s election?

To some degree, it did very well, given the reelection of Mayor Riordan, the endorsement of charter reform and the somewhat surprising defeat of Proposition 7, which would have extended a 3.75 percent business surtax.

Yet, the business community cannot be cheered by the slate of candidates elected to the charter reform citizens panel an eclectic group that has a distressingly strong union orientation. How that will play out in the months and years ahead is anyone’s guess, but the fact that business is so minimally represented on the panel is not an especially healthy sign.

But an even bigger issue is the minimal involvement of L.A.’s business leadership in the municipal races. Even on Proposition 7, arguably the most direct business initiative on the ballot, there was virtually no organized campaigning by area business organizations. That the measure was turned down and thus became a victory for business shouldn’t mask the lack of involvement.

We’re starting to sound like a broken record. As disparate as the L.A. business community might be, there are any number of key issues on which common ground can and must be found. Anything less will inevitably put the brakes on growth not our idea of a good thing.