Colorado Capitol
Economic Development Council of Colorado
Public Policy Update 
January 11, 2009
In This Issue
EDCC Fall Conference - 3rd Annual Citizens' Survey
Colorado General Assembly Convenes
Economic Development Legislation
Colorado Economic Leadership Coalition
EDCC Fall Conference
The EDCC Fall Conference was held on October 29-31, 2008 at the Doubletree Hotel in Colorado Springs.
 
Highlights of the conference included Governor Ritter as the opening day luncheon speaker, a review of the 3rd Annual Citizens' Survey on Economic Development, a Legislative Leadership Panel and several very interesting speakers and breakout sessions.
 
We have posted the results of the 3rd Annual Citizens' Survey, as well as the PowerPoint presentation given at the conference.
 
By an overwhelming majority (29%), the citizens of Colorado want and expect the Governor and General Assembly to focus on the economy in the 2009 legislative session. 
Quick Links
 
 
  
Greetings!
You are receiving this newsletter from the EDCC because of your interest in and commitment to a strong and healthy Colorado economy.  The Board of EDCC hopes that you find this information to be helpful, informative and of value to you and your colleagues.  Please feel free to pass along this newsletter as appropriate. 
Colorado General Assembly Convenes
The Sixty-Seventh General Assembly of the State of Colorado convened on Wednesday, January 7 at 10 am.  The legislature will meet for no more than the constitutional limit of 120 days, meaning adjournment sine die will occur not later than midnight on Wednesday, May 6, 2009.  The 65 (38 D's, 27 R's) members of the House of Representatives elected Rep. Terrance Carroll (D-Denver) Speaker of the House.  This marks the first time in the history of the state that an African-American has held the top job in the House of Representatives.  Speaker Carroll, in his opening-day remarks, welcomed the 17 newly-elected Representatives and spoke of opportunity in America.  Speaker Carroll spoke of his mother - a daughter of a sharecropper and granddaughter of a slave - that raised him as a single parent in a "tough neighborhood" in Washington, D.C.  In laying out his agenda for the 2009 session, his goals are to bring new, high-paying jobs to Colorado; provide support for struggling families; and to build a world-class education system.
 
Senate President Peter Groff (D-Denver) is returning as President of the Senate.  President Groff is also an African-American.  Colorado thus becomes the first state in the nation to have African-Americans in the top leadership positions in the state legislature.  President Groff, in his opening-day remarks,  welcomed the nine newly-elected Senators.  He went on to summarize the problems facing the legislature this year:  a $604 million shortfall in the state budget; the 43,000 Colorado citizens drawing unemployment insurance; the 30,000 home foreclosures in Colorado in 2008; the 126 structurally deficient bridges in the state's highway system; and the nearly 800,000 Coloradans without health insurance.
 
House Minority Leader Mike May (R-Parker) also gave opening-day remarks.  Rep. May also spoke of the budget problems facing the state; the need for transportation funding; challenges in education in the state; and the need for a "Stable Energy Economy".  Rep. May had originally planned to resign his office just prior to the start of the session, but re-considered and will continue as House Minority Leader.  Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) summarized the biggest challenge and highest priority facing the legislature in one word - "Jobs".
 
On Thursday, January 8 Governor Ritter delivered his 3rd State of the State address.  Governor Ritter also addressed the serious budgetary challenges facing the state.  The Republican leadership in the legislature offered an alternative YouTube State of the State Response.  Welcome to the 21st Century!
 
As evidenced in the opening day remarks of the legislative leadership, and the State of the State address of Governor Ritter, the state's economy and budget will be the most important issue facing the legislature this session.  Everything else - health care, transportation, education - all are so dependent on the state having a healthy economy that discussion must start with the budget.  The Legislative Council, in their December 20, 2008 quarterly revenue forecast, indicated that revenues for the current fiscal year, FY 2008-09, are estimated to be more than $600 million short of meeting the budgeted appropriations in this year's state budget.  This means that significant budget cuts will have to be made during the last half of the fiscal year.  Governor Ritter froze state hiring in September, 2008 and has asked his Cabinet for suggestions on how they would each cut their department budget by up to 10%.  The Governor's Office of State Planning & Budgeting was slightly more optimistic in their December 20 forecast.  OSPB will bring revised FY 2008-09 revenue estimates to the Joint Budget Committee on January 15 and revised FY 2009-2010 estimates on January 23. 
 
Remember that you can listen to live audio broadcasts of the floor sessions and committee meetings through links on the home page of the Colorado General Assembly.  If you have access to Comcast cable television, the floor sessions of the Colorado House are broadcast live and then repeated frequently on Channel 165.
 
Take care and have a happy, safe and prosperous 2009!
 
 

Economic Development Legislation
 
On December 18, Governor Ritter held a press conference to outline his 2009 Economic Development legislative agenda. The EDCC was engaged with the Governor's staff over the summer and fall in helping to develop this agenda.  We are greatly encouraged with the introduction of HB 09-1001, Concerning an Income Tax Credit for Colorado Job Growth.  This bill is sponsored by Rep. Joe Rice and Senator Rollie Heath.  The idea for this legislation originally came out of discussions at the CELC several years ago.  The bill has strong bi-partisan support and we are hopeful of speedy passage of this important legislation. 
 
Also, Rep. Kent Lambert and Sen. Mark Scheffel have introduced HB 09-1068, Concerning a Business Personal Property Tax (BPPT) Exemption.  The BPPT has long been targeted for possible reduction or elimination, but because of Colorado's complicated tax policy and the dependence of local governments on BPPT revenues to fund services, the BPPT is extremely difficult to change in a meaningful way.
 
Additionally, Representatives Tom Massey and Anne McGihon and Senators Dan Gibbs and Nancy Spence have introduced HB 09-1010, Concerning the Promotion of Colorado as a Location for Film Production Activities.  Again, there is a tremendous amount of bi-partisan support to put Colorado "back in the game".   Colorado has one of the most minimal film production incentive programs in the country, while boasting a large number of film production and editing professionals.  And - "Colorado has everything but the ocean!"
 
As of close of business on Friday, January 9 the legislature had introduced 86 House bills and 60 Senate bills - a total of 146 of the expected 600-650 bills that we are likely to see in 2009.
Colorado Economic Leadership Coalition 
Colorado Capitol 
The Colorado Economic Leadership Coalition (CELC) normally meets on the 2nd Friday of each month during the legislative session, at a location near the State Capitol.
 
Because of a conflict with the "Boots & Business" Luncheon at the National Western Stock Show, the CELC meeting for January will take place on Friday, January 16 at the offices of the Colorado Municipal League - 1144 Sherman at noon.  This is a one-time change for this month only.
 
We sincerely hope you can join us for the January 16 meeting of the CELC.  With the economy being foremost on the minds of the legislators and people of Colorado, we're sure to have some interesting and informative discussion about plans to stimulate the Colorado economy.   The CELC is under the sponsorship of the Economic Development Council of Colorado.  Lunch for EDCC members is complimentary and for non-members is $10.  What a great reason to join EDCC!
 
CELC has no dues - we are a group of folks interested in creating and maintaining a healthy, vibrant economy in Colorado and routinely discuss potential legislative ideas, regulatory change and other issues that will assist in that goal.
 
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to attend - either Danny at dtomlinson@msn.com or Michelle at malcott21@comcast.net 

Sincerely,
 

Danny Tomlinson
Tomlinson & Associates on behalf of the EDCC
EDCC  The Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC) is a state-wide, non-profit organization dedicated to successful, responsible economic development.  EDCC professionally represents the collective economic development interests of both the private and public sectors.  Our mission is to strategically retain, expand and attract primary employers.  EDCC is committed to an equitable and balanced public/private partnership and to growing the economic climate of Colorado to the mutual benefit of employees, employers, governments and citizens. 
This is the fine print text where you might tell your customers how the item will be shipped and, for example, if they are overseas that there will be additional shipping charges and must contact you.