Mar 4, 2014, Ed Sealover The curtain goes up this week on the most anticipated business personal property tax reform bill of the 2014 Colorado Legislature — but the measure will have a smaller scope than sponsors originally expected. When Rep. Dave Young, D-Greeley, first discussed his plans with the Denver Business Journal in December, […]
In the News
New Mexico governor pushes pro-business message in Denver
At a time when Colorado is weighing a ballot measure to raise state income-tax rates to fund education, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez offered a message in Denver on Wednesday on the benefits of lowering them. Martinez, speaking before the annual meeting luncheon of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, said she inherited a […]
Timmons: Colorado energy plays key role in national manufacturing
I missed Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, when he spoke recently at a meeting with the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI). But he graciously took a few minutes to chat by phone about the importance of manufacturing in Colorado, the federal governmentýs role in the sector ý and how Colorado natural gas is helping fuel domestic manufacturing in the United States.
Business interests claim the state Legislature really gave them the business this year
The Colorado Statesman, Peter Marcus- The Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry points out that the session was dominated by hot button, polarizing debates, including gun control, civil unions, election reform and marijuana.
Business counts up wins, losses as Colorado legislative session ends
The 2013 legislative session clearly wasn’t good for business, but it could have been a lot worse. Five bills that would have ramped up regulation on the oil and gas industry died in the last week of the 120-day General Assembly, as did a late-session measure that would have aided union members in defensive-employer lockouts. […]
Hickenlooper signs Job Protection and Civil Rights Enforcement Act
Gov. John Hickenlooper on Monday signed House Bill 1136, also known as the Job Protection and Civil Rights Enforcement Act of 2013. The new law “expands available remedies for workers to recover compensatory and punitive damages from employers who have intentionally engaged in discriminatory practices,” Hickenlooper said. The damage awards are limited to $10,000 for […]
Hickenlooper pressured to veto some business measures
Business groups — unable to persuade Democrats to kill or significantly amend bills they consider bad for private companies — are asking Gov. John Hickenlooper to veto as many as five Democrat-sponsored bills that could land on his desk. Begging a Democratic governor to go against his own party isn’t new. Business leaders did that nearly every […]
Colorado lawmakers pull plug on union lockout bill
Grocery workers will not be able to receive unemployment benefits during defensive lockouts this year, after the sponsor of a bill to make that major change to state labor law killed her proposal Friday rather than pass it and have it get vetoed by Gov.John Hickenlooper. Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, said that while it was tough to give […]
Who’s got the best approach to create jobs in Colorado?
Statehouse Democrats and Republicans are both pushing so-called “jobs bills” this legislative session, but the two parties take fundamentally different approaches to the issue. Business groups wonder how many jobs will actually be created by legislation still under consideration. House Democrats define “jobs bills” broadly as those that help foster economic development, connect people to […]
Family, medical leave expansion next big battle at Colorado statehouse
Now that the fights over civil unions, the most controversial gun bills and in-state college tuition for undocumented immigrants at the Legislature have ended, Capitol observers might be wondering what issue will spur the next big battle. Mark your calendars for Friday, when the House is expected to take up debate on a bill to […]