Gerry Demple, Vice President of Business Development for Andrews Electronics (Santa Clarita)

"The CEC’s regulation is expected to cause my business to lose between $25 million and $30 million within the first few years of implementation. This will force us to consider business reduction strategies including site reduction and layoffs. We believe this regulation will put undue pressure on small retailers and servicers and companies who support them like Andrews Electronics, where the loss of a few more sales or fewer service calls will push us over the edge—especially in today’s challenging economic climate." Read more

Robert Gale, President & CEO of the Telecom Group, Inc. dba Gale Telecom Services (Sacramento)

"The California Energy Commission's proposal to regulate television energy usage would effectively choke the last breath from our industry—from the nation’s giants in component manufacturing and programming providers all the way down to the local installer and subscriber." Read more

Charlie Martinez, President of Elk Grove Home Theater (Elk Grove)

"Banning the high-performance televisions will also force Elk Grove Home Theater to unfairly compete against online retailers not regulated by the CEC. We have already struggled in the current economic slowdown, and I fear losing this competitive edge will force us to consider cost-cutting measures such as downsizing, putting more economic hardship and strain on hard-working families. " Read more

Leon SooHoo, President and CEO of Paradyme Sound & Vision (Sacramento)

"Regulating simply to regulate as the CEC thinks they must do is just not a good California business policy. Innovation and competition are always better options than unnecessary regulation.  As we here at Paradyme continue to connect lifestyles and families, I can only hope the CEC realizes that" Read more

Shawn Worst, President of Evolution Home Theater, Inc. (San Diego)

"The proposed California Energy Commission television energy regulation would severely impact the crux of our business, as virtually 100% of our installations include an affected TV.  Many companies of our kind have already been forced out of business due to a combination of the economy and newly heightened taxes here in California.  The last thing we need is more regulation.  In a down economy especially, business should be facilitated, not inhibited by insane regulations." Read more

Don Mueller, Owner of North Bay AVS Design (Santa Rosa)

"High-performance televisions are the product that attracts customers to my business, but this regulation would effectively remove 25 percent of LCD and plasma big screen televisions and all plasma televisions over 60 inches off the shelves. Restricting the televisions available to be sold in California will not only affect how many customers we can attract, but it will also decrease our sales, installation jobs and consumer choice.  Our sales are already down significantly as a result of the economic recession.  It’s likely we could lose as much as 15-20 percent of our sales as a result of the CEC regulation, forcing us to cut 15-20 percent of our labor."  Read more

Bob Smith, Dean, AVAD University and AVAD, LLC (Van Nuys) 

"Currently about half of the televisions we sell do not meet the California Energy Commission’s proposed energy efficiency standards.  If implemented, the efficiency standards will cause my business to lose approximately $15,000,000 in display sales for the year.  This would cause the state of California to lose $1,350,000 in sales tax revenue. In addition, AVAD would lose sales from associative products such as audio and video source components.  Assuming that the video display is only 30% of an average system sale, we estimate a total sales loss of $60,000,000.  This would result in a state sales tax loss of $4,500,000."  Read more

Jerry Simmons, President of the Appropriate Connections, Inc. (Gilroy) 

"If the California Energy Commission passes the television energy regulation, The Appropriate Connections will experience a six-digit revenue loss, as the televisions to be banned make up about 25% of our past sales" Read more

Jim Kingsley, CEO of Kingsley Audio Video Inc. (Irvine) 

"This regulation would drive the consumer to buy from questionable online merchants that will sidestep the sales tax and CEC regulations. Our prospective customers will see no reason to pay the sales tax and the added display tax for a limited choice of big screen models. This is a bad idea even with a good economy; with a bad economy this is horrible. We will be priced out of the market by this regulation" Read more

Gordon van Zuiden, President of cyberManor Inc. (Los Gatos) 

"CyberManor has been in business for 10 years. We currently employ six people. We specialize in whole house custom electronics integration. CyberManor would be adversely affected if the California Energy Commission enacted the proposed television energy limits. The majority of our design, engineering, and sales are driven by our client’s desire to have a large flat screen television in their home...Even more, the regulation is unnecessary because cyberManor is already helping its customers achieve energy efficiency. In addition to installing cyberManor’s intelligent vampire power reducing power strips, many of my customers have voluntarily chosen the energy efficient electronics lines currently available on the market." Read more