An open letter to State Sen. Steve Glazer and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan | Lafayette | Moraga

California Assembly Bill 5, which affects how freelance journalists and independent contractors are classified and compensated, is now in effect as of Jan. 1.

Since the summer of last year we have spent countless hours trying to figure out how AB5 would affect the Lamorinda Weekly, the paper your offices once commended when we were honored as the Business Persons of the Year in Lafayette.

While shopping at the Farmers' Market today a resident identified me as the publisher of the paper and started to talk to me. (It happens occasionally.) The woman was explaining how important the paper is and how much she enjoys its existence before she turned sad, telling me about the closure of the Martinez Gazette, a long standing paper.

Are we next in line to go? I don't know yet. What I know is that our writers are expressing a "lost spirit" and I'm tired of dealing with issues that have nothing to do with bringing news to the community. I feel like my life has been turned upside down and I don't know how I deserve this. I'm told by the Publishers Association to get legal advice. As much I appreciate their support, this is a joke! I'm in an industry making pennies and I should hire a lawyer who makes $500 an hour for a case in which I have not done anything wrong or created something that wasn't a problem to anybody?

AB5 is telling the news industry how to run this business, but I thought I was in "The Land of the Free." Or is this a country where the government wants to take over running the news? There might be good reasons for AB5 but when it comes to its effect on the news industry, it just erects more coffins waiting to be filled.

We contacted your offices before the vote on AB5 to sit down and give you detailed insight about our situation. The offer still stands. Have you ever thought of a bill exempting the news industry from AB5??

Happy New Year and all the best to you and your families.

Andy Scheck

Publisher



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