Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday called for cutting oil-and-gas permit times and other “red tape” in a speech before the state’s business leaders.
In a testament to how well Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has been received lately by business leaders, he was introduced at the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry luncheon in Denver by Jake Jabs, founder of American Furniture Warehouse. Jabs is a top Republican campaign donor who launched the so-called right-to-work amendment in 2008 that failed.
Jabs warmed up the crowd for Hickenlooper despite the fact that the new governor has said he has no plans to rescind the 2007 executive order issued by then-Gov. Bill Ritter allowing limited unionization of state workers.
Hickenlooper said his recent tour of the state to hear economic development ideas from local officials made one thing clear.
“There’s no appetite for anybody in terms of raising taxes,” he said. “We have to become more pro-business.”
Part of doing that is cutting government red tape, he said. Hundreds of business leaders applauded when he said he wanted to cut permitting times for oil-and-gas operations.
But, Hickenlooper said, it will have to be done carefully, without endangering air and water quality.
“We’ll be efficient, but we’re going to hold them (businesses) to the highest standards,” he said.
Pam Kiely, director of Environment Colorado, said environmentalists aren’t automatically opposed to speeding up permits.
“What’s important is that we manage the development of our natural resources in a way that keeps our water clean, our air clear, and best protects the health of our local communities,” Kiely said.
Hickenlooper repeated his call for studies of the impact on businesses of every new regulation, and he promised broadly to make government more “effective, efficient and elegant.”
He said later, though, he does not have a specific plan yet to rework the state budget.
“I do think we have to be prepared and certainly have a list of contingencies if revenues aren’t what people hope and expect,” Hickenlooper said. “I’ve said we’re going to have to make a number of very difficult decisions over the next couple of years. We’re going to have to start making those decisions pretty soon.”
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
