By Ed Sealover for The Denver Business Journal Key Colorado legislative leaders on Thursday said they will seek to reward employers to incentivize workers who take public transit or carpool to work. Sen. Faith Winter and Rep. Matt Gray, the Democrats behind the $5.3 billion transportation-funding bill that included new environmental regulations on roadbuilding in the 2021 session, are coming […]
In the News
DBJ: Bennet pushing plan that could raise taxes on some of the largest companies in Colorado
By Ed Sealover for the Denver Business Journal U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., is one of the authors of a plan to establish a new minimum income tax level on companies making more than $1 billion in profits per year — a plan that could affect several high-profile Colorado companies and is drawing fire from business […]
DBJ: Colorado raising minimum wage for employers again in 2022 — if that matters
Colorado’s minimum wage is expected to rise to $12.56 per hour in 2022 — a boost that major business groups say doesn’t answer the question of where employers will find talent during a labor shortage. The coming hike is a result of Colorado law that requires annual inflationary adjustments of the wage, which currently is $12.32 […]
Colorado Bill Sponsors Strike Several Tax-break Rollbacks, Pass Wide-reaching Reform Bill
That’s not to say business leaders didn’t fight the bill. Loren Furman, senior vice president of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, said a provision changing the definition of what constitutes taxable property in regard to software — a clause that would clarify that streaming services like Spotify or Netflix can be taxed even as Netflix is […]
OP-ED: Lawmakers’ double standard on workplace harassment
As the General Assembly approaches its final weeks, major legislation impacting businesses is getting closer to crossing the finish line. One of those bills is Senate Bill 176, which would implement sweeping changes to Colorado’s workplace harassment laws. The bill is well-intended — no individual should ever face uncomfortable or unsafe situations in the workplace due […]
DBJ: Capitol Business Preview: Workers’ compensation changes on fast track
By Ed Sealover for the Denver Business Journal Sponsors of a bill to allow significant expansion of doctor choice for patients going through the workers’ compensation system originally painted it as one they held little expectations for passing this year, saying instead that it was needed to start a long-term conversation. Not only did Senate Bill […]
DBJ: Unemployment taxes are becoming burdensome, but Colorado government could help if it wants
By Ed Sealover for the Denver Business Journal At the end of March, Colorado owed $1 billion to the federal government for loans that allowed it to continue paying unemployment insurance benefits after the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund went broke in August. Also, the state expected to receive $3.9 billion in new stimulus payments from […]
News Roundup: $1.8 Billion in New Taxes & Regulations Per Year for Colorado Businesses
The Denver Post: Colorado business community asks legislature for a timeout on new regulations and higher taxes A coalition of business groups pleaded with Colorado lawmakers Tuesday to avoid passing any legislation, however well-intentioned, that would make it more complicated or costly to do business in the state. “We need our state leaders to simply […]
Center Square: Cutting health care budgets will make this recession worse for working women
Op-Ed by Simon Lomax for Center Square One of the biggest challenges in politics and public policy is that people spend most of their time working in silos. That is, they work on a narrow range of issues or even just one issue. Reporters have beats. Lawmakers have committee assignments. Subject matter experts usually work […]
OP-ED: Don’t Block Business’ Recovery
Op-ed by Loren Furman and Rachel Beck for Colorado Politics When it comes to an economic recovery from the pandemic, recent data has shed light on where Colorado stands compared to other states — and it doesn’t look good. While neighboring states have regained nearly all of the jobs lost last year, Colorado’s unemployment rate is […]