Business groups are waiting to see if incoming Gov. Bill Ritter and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly will walk the talk on promises to boost the state’s economy.
“We are glad to see the new governor-elect support economic development. Hopefully, he will stay with that,” said Tom Allee, national director of community affairs at Denver- based Frontier Airlines.
Various business interests are backing efforts to restore the role of the state trade representative, direct state funding for startup technologies and help make the state’s higher-education system more competitive. The legislative session opens Wednesday.
That said, some groups are ready to fight off bills that could extend parental-leave rights, change workers’ compensation rules and toughen state environmental regulations.
“You can’t both grow the economy and burden employers with new mandates and regulations,” said Travis Berry, a lobbyist with the Colorado Competitive Council.
Ritter, a Democrat, has promised to appoint an economic development czar, and some Democratic legislators are backing him on beefing up the state’s economic development efforts.
“We really have not done the job we should have up there for eight years,” said Rep. Alice Borodkin, D-Denver. She plans to introduce a bill that would restore a trade representative position within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. She also supports establishing more state trade offices around the globe, including China.
Berry said his group backs continuing a $2 million program to bring promising bioscience technologies to market. The Competitive Council, which represents several chambers of commerce in the state, would like to see the program expanded to include renewable energy.
The business-backed group Colorado Succeeds is pushing to make higher-education funding a key economic development issue.
Some programs, like physician training, might receive more support, said House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver. But, he also said that “the business community will need to lead the charge” on the broader issue of increased public funding of higher education.
Business groups and the legislators they seek to influence may differ on the definition of economic development. Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, for example, lists job creation and economic development as two of her top priorities on her website, but the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry is concerned that she will bring back a bill that outgoing Gov. Bill Owens vetoed as business-unfriendly.
Her bill would allow the state to implement air-quality rules stricter than federal guidelines, which could saddle businesses in the state with additional costs, said Donnah Moody, vice president of government affairs at CACI.
Business groups also will fight any efforts to change the status quo on workers’ compensation, Berry said.
Rep. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, is expected to revive a proposal to give injured workers more choice in the physicians they see. Carroll’s proposed bill on that subject last year was postponed in the House Committee on Business Affairs and Labor early in the session.
Berry said he doesn’t think efforts to tinker with the workers’ compensation system this session will find broader support among Democrats.
A bill also is expected to allow parents leave from work to attend school activities for their children, said Katie Reinisch, spokeswoman for the House Democrats.
Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, killed his proposed bill on that issue last year after complaining that fellow Democrats had diluted it. It remains a nonstarter for employers, Moody said.
“We will guard against employer mandates, including employee time management and staffing issues and any kind of required leave, no matter how well-intentioned,” she said.
Staff writer Aldo Svaldi can be reached at 303-954-1410 or asvaldi@denverpost.com.
