JCBL Legislative Update | February 24, 2023

Things are moving and shaking at the Colorado State Capitol. The Jefferson County Business Lobby (JCBL) — the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol – has been busy analyzing and lobbying on legislative proposals that may impact our county for you to be aware of, and provides you this update on previous bills that we’ve been working on- and what is yet to come.

Updates From the House

In our last edition we featured House Bill 23-1118, titled “Fair Work Week Employment Standards.” As introduced this bill was alarming to the business community by proposing to put in place requirements around when, how and for how long an employee could be scheduled for work among other requirements. With advocacy from JCBL members and our lobby team at the capitol, the bill sponsors came out with a substitute amendment (also called a strike bill change) cutting the original bill in half and removing several troublesome provisions before the scheduled hearing for the bill on February 16th at the House Committee on Business Affairs and Labor.

At the committee hearing business leaders from across the state, and Jefferson County, gave 7 hours of witness testimony about the potential impacts of the bill on both their businesses and employees. Arvada Representative, and lawyer by profession, Rep. Lindsey Daughtery (HD 24) posed good legal questions to her colleagues on the committee about potential litigation traps hidden in the bill. The storytelling from the community proved powerful as the committee chair moved to pull the bill off the table for consideration at a later date yet to be determined.

Thank you to the business community from across the state and JCBL members who took the time to come to the capitol, call, and write emails to our state legislators about this bill. Keep up the conversation on this issue as we’ll keep you informed when this bill appears again on the committee docket.

Housing has been a top priority for both the Governor and the majority Democratic caucus at the capitol. The JCBL has been monitoring a series of legislative proposals that would place new regulations on private landlords and housing developers that may have unintended negative consequences on providing more, not less, affordable housing.

One of these bills is House Bill 23-1115 that would allow counties and municipalities the power to enact rent control on private residential property or housing units. Jeffco Assessor Scot Kersgaard provided commentary on this bill in a recent JCBL, stating that a potential adverse impact of Rent Control could be an increase in appeals to Assessor Offices across the state if applied to income producing properties.

Other proposed housing-related bills that the JCBL is monitoring are:

HB 23-1095– Prohibited Provisions In Rental Agreements- Will prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for just cause and set in statute allowable reasons for eviction.

HB23-1068– Pet Animal Ownership In Housing- Will prohibit landlords from collecting a pet deposit on rental properties and limit ability to recover damages to private property from pets.

HB 23-1090– Limit Metropolitan District Director Conflicts- A part of a multi-year series of bills to reform Metro Districts that seeks to address potential conflicts of interest with housing developers and the communities they create. While this House bill is moving forward in the process, JCBL is keeping an eye on SB 23-110, a bi-partisan Senate bill led by Arvada Sen. Rachel Zenzinger (SD 19) that may come out on top this session.

Updates From the Senate

The JCBL has long been an advocate for improving the talent pipeline to our local workforce, especially when it comes to involving our schools. The aptly titled bill SB23-065, Career Development Success Program, was designed to expand and improve Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, such as what is in place at Jeffco Public Schools Warren Tech. If signed into law, the bill would provide school districts $1,000 from the state general fund per every student who completes an industry recognized credential or certification. Over 11,000 students across Colorado completed programs in the past year alone, and this bill seeks to continue that growth with a fiscal reinvestment back to the school districts helping to produce workforce-ready employees.

And lastly, a bill JCBL is following from the Senate is a clean up to the Equal Pay for Equal Work legislation of 2019. SB 23-105 was laid over in its first committee hearing, which allowed the time to provide a cleaner version of the bill that addresses issues around posting and notice requirements that were left vague from the 2019 legislation. The bill revisions also does a good job of clarifying provisions around promotion and career development, but does not address remote work which has been a sticking point for the Governor as well. With a $12M fiscal note the bill sponsors have yet to address how this bill would be applied to Government agencies and it is possible they may be exempted from the proposed legislation so stay tuned.

Coming Soon: Bills Not Yet Introduced

The JCBL has heard rumblings at the capitol about two bills that, while not yet introduced, are coming soon for you to be aware of.

Workplace Harassment- Our lobby team at the capitol has been working hard to bring the voice of business to the table when working with advocates who wish to strengthen laws about workplace harassment, potentially on employers. Conversations have been productive with proponents of the legislation and the team looks forward to working in good faith to address this issue and produce a version of the bill the business community can get behind.

Workers Compensation Payment Schedule- In 1991 major reforms took place to set standards in Workers Compensation that included a set payment schedule of how much and for how long a person could be compensated for a workplace injury. A draft bill is proposing to drastically revise this current schedule of payments, upending a system that has produced stability for both employers and employees. The JCBL is awaiting estimates from Workers Compensation Insurance providers to see the impact on rates, setting the stage for a major fight with the bill sponsors unless the proposed legislation is amended before introduced.

JCBL Day at the Capitol- April 6, 2023

Mark your calendars for the return of the annual JCBL Day at the Capitol set for Thursday, April 6th from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. Enjoy a day meeting with our state representatives, and see our legislative process in action. This event is open to any member of a JCBL participating organization with more information coming soon.

Please register for Day at the Capitol from HERE >>

Legislative Lowdown February 16, 2023

Wheat Ridge Business Association, in partnerships with Jefferson County Economic Development, Localworks, Wheat Ridge Business District, and Wheat Ridge Chamber of Commerce hosted this event in February. Many members of our community were present to learn about the Bills that are being introduced and how they may impact the business community.

Some of the Bills discussed are:

Housing

HB23-1115 Repeal Prohibition Local Residential Rent Control

HB23-1189 Employer Assistance for Home Purchase Tax Credit

HB23-1190 Affordable Housing Right Of First Refusal

SB23-035 Middle-income Housing Authority Act

HB23-1171 Just Cause Requirement Eviction Of Residential Tenant

Property Valuation

HB23-1054 Property Valuation

SB23-108 Allowing Temporary Reductions in Property Tax Due

Workforce/Employers

HB23-1035 Statute Of Limitations Minimum Wage Violations

HB23-1078 Unemployment Compensation Dependent Allowance

HB23-1118 Fair Workweek Employment Standards

SB23-017 Additional Uses Paid Sick Leave

SB23-105 Ensure Equal Pay For Equal Work

Numerous Bills being introduced in this session will give negative impact for business owners and employers. We strongly encourage you to keep a close watch and contact your local representatives to let them know of your concerns. Use the link below to find out who your representative is and how to contact them.

Colorado General Assembly – Find My Legislator >>

2023 Bills to Watch

Click on the link to see which bills the JCBL is closely monitoring on the Bill Tracker. They monitor the bills presented in the current session that may impact our business community. We encourage you to follow along and contact us with any questions.

Access the JCBL Bill Tracker 2023 >>

Bill tracker helps you to know what issues are coming up and require your quick actions.

What’s our position on these?

Within the Jefferson County Business Lobby, Arvada Chamber of Commerce leads the way as the major stakeholder. CLICK HERE to view their position, which correlates with the JCBL position.

JCBL Legislative Update | February 3, 2023

Download this updates in PDF

The honeymoon is over at the Colorado State Capitol and after a few weeks of pomp and circumstance, and getting to know the new members of our state legislature, committees are in full swing and the bills are flying. The Jefferson County Business Lobby (JCBL) — the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol – has been busy analyzing and lobbying on several legislative proposals that may impact our county for you to be aware of.

From the House
The first bill on the docket is House Bill 1006 that asks businesses to send notices to employees about applying for the federal and state earned income tax credits and the federal and state child tax credits. JCBL members wondered if the notices could be delivered via email or text, and a late amendment to the bill added that provision.

Things get geeky pretty quickly when talking about sales and use tax. This bill, House Bill 23-1017 seeks to continue work started by former State Representative and current JeffCo Commissioner Tracy Kraft-Tharp to simplify and modernize the state’s sales and use tax collection system. With a $20 million dollar fiscal note, the business community is hopeful that this piece of legislation will make it across the finish line and implement needed technical and business friendly changes to the sales and use tax system for use across the state.

Next up is a bill seeking to implement a state statute of limitations on Minimum Wage violations. House Bill 23-1035, creates a two-year window to file a minimum wage violation. With business owners already mandated to keep records on employees for three years, this bill will help to set a standard and close a loophole between state and federal law.

There is also proposed legislation, House Bill 23-1115, to allow counties and municipalities, like Arvada, to enact any ordinance or resolution that would control rent on private residential property or housing units: therefore giving counties and cities the power to enact rent control.

Another bill to keep an eye on is House Bill 23-1118 titled “Fair Work Week Employment Standards.” In essence the bill puts in place requirements for certain types of employers when determining an hourly employee’s work schedule, changes to the work schedule and posting of changes to a work schedule. In addition the bill also sets forth a number of provisions around how, when and how much an employee is paid.

From the Senate
Over at the Senate the first bill the JCBL took up deals with the environment. Senate Bill 23-016 titled “Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Measures” is a mixed bag of new regulations around clean energy, how clean energy is defined, while also accelerating 2019 goals for greenhouse gas education by 2050 from 90% to 100%. Tax credits are also a part of this bill for battery operated snow blowers, lawn mowers.

Also coming out of the Senate is a bill to expand the allowable uses of the newly created Colorado FAMLI paid leave program. If adopted, Senate Bill 23-017 will allow an employee to use any accrued paid sick leave to pay for unexpected events such as a school district snow day, a broken water pipe at your home, or at the home of a family member that you help to care for, or to attend a funeral service or deal with financial or legal matters after a death in the family.

Keeping it in the FAMLI, Senate Bill 23-046 will expand when and how an employee can access the paid support of the FAMLI program, make benefits portable from job-to-job, when a person is out of a job or in-between jobs.

Speaking of additions, Senate Bill 23-058 expands on 2019’s “Ban the Box” legislation. This new legislation will prohibit a prospective employer from asking about age, or questions that may reveal a person’s age (such as year of high school/college graduation) during the initial job application to reduce the potential for age discrimination.

That’s all for this week’s JCBL Update. The latest bill positions can be found at arvadachamber.org/billtracker.

JCBL 2022 Session Recap

Click HERE to read the JCBL Legislative Recap >>

JCBL April 2022 Updates

Click HERE to read the JCBL Legislative Updates >>

JCBL March 2022 Updates

Click HERE to read the JCBL Legislative Updates >>

Follow along with Bills on Watch for 2022 Session

Click on the link to see which bills the JCBL is closely monitoring on the Bill Tracker. They monitor the bills presented in the current session that may impact our business community. We encourage you to follow along and contact us with any questions.

Access the JCBL Bill Tracker >>

Bill tracker helps you to know what issues are coming up and require your quick actions.

What’s our position on these?

Within the Jefferson County Business Lobby, Arvada Chamber of Commerce leads the way as the major stakeholder. CLICK HERE to view their position, which correlates with the JCBL position.

JCBL February 2022 Updates

Click HERE to read the JCBL Legislative Updates >>

JCBL January 2022 Updates

Click HERE to read the JCBL Legislative Updates >>

JCBL Legislative Update: June 2, 2020

By Jeff Weist

Jefferson County Business Lobby

 

After hurriedly adjourning in mid-March as the COVID-19 crisis hit, the Colorado State Legislature reconvened last week for a short session to accomplish “mission critical” bills before they return to socially distancing.

Expected to last about three weeks, the Legislature must, first and foremost, pass a state budget for next year.  The stay-at-home orders shutting down many businesses has hit local and state government revenues (not to mention those of our businesses) hard. The Joint Budget Committee – on which Jefferson County Senator Rachel Zenzinger sits – had to spend weeks re-writing next year’s budget to cut out about 25%, a daunting experience for any government.

In order to be done in three weeks, the Legislature has or will be killing off the majority of the roughly 350 bills that were on the calendar when they recessed in March. That includes some major bills the JCBL was working for or against, such as the paid family and medical leave bill. (Although there is a chance that proposal winds up before the voters in November.)

But the Legislature will take this month time to consider a number of bills in response to COVID-19, many of which target businesses. We will likely see bills to make companies liable for price gouging in a declared emergency, declare that a COVID infection in a worker in an “essential” business should be covered by workers comp, protect employee whistleblowers who call out unsafe work conditions from retaliation and mandate that all businesses provide a paid sick leave policy, among other new mandates and costs on businesses. The JCBL is working with other business groups to defeat or moderate these last-minute bills.

On the positive side, the Legislature appears poised to refer a constitutional amendment to the voters in November that would repeal the Gallagher Amendment to the Colorado Constitution. That formula for setting residential and business personal property assessment rates has had a decades-long effect of shifting a disproportionate share of property tax liability to business owners.

 

The Jefferson County Business Lobby advocates as the unified voice of 3,000 Jefferson County businesses for public policies that strengthen our business climate. The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations and the Alameda Connects BID.

2019 Legislative Session Recap

The Jefferson County Business Lobby advocates as the unified voice of 3,000 Jefferson County businesses for public policies that strengthen our business climate. The JCBL takes positions and lobbies on bills of major impact to JeffCo businesses.

Please click HERE to read the recap of the 2019 Legislative session >>

PLEASE SUPPORT HOUSE BILL 19-1313 (REP. BECKER & SEN. WINTER) CARBON EMISSION TARGETS FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES

Xcel Energy has led the industry in transitioning to cleaner energy sources and achieving ambitious carbon goals. Given the pace of change within our industry and customer demands, the Company is increasing its commitment and working to do more, sooner.

HB19-1313 creates a pathway to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels with a long-term vision to serve its customers with zero-carbon electricity by 2050, while establishing a process to ensure cost affordability for customers and comprehensive transition planning for its highly-skilled employees and workforce.

HB19-xxxx Summary

  • Establishes clean energy targets
    Applies to regulated utilities serving over 500,000 meters. Other electric utilities may opt-in.

    • 80% carbon emission reduction (from 2005 levels) by 2030.
    • 100% carbon emission reduction (from 2005 levels) by 2050, or sooner if practicable.
  • Creates a pathway at the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to hold these goals accountable
    Clean Energy Plan to be submitted with utility’s next resource plan after Jan 1, 2020.

    • Supports a comprehensive transition for highly-skilled employees,
    • Ensures system reliability and cost affordability to Colorado electric customers.
    • Air Quality Control Division (AQCC) participation, verify & alignment with state goals.
    • All new energy acquired through competitive bidding.
  • Reporting
    One year after approval, the utility will report to the Governor, the PUC, and the AQCC on progress toward targets, resources developed, costs and customer impacts, system reliability and other relevant information.

A Proven leader

  • Since 2005, Xcel Energy company-wide has reduced carbon emissions 35 percent under its previous goal to reduce emissions 60 percent by 2030.
  • Advancements in technologies have made renewable and cleaner energy cost effective. To achieve the zero-carbon 2050 vision, we will need a diverse mix of 24/7 resources as we continue adopting wind, solar, energy efficiency and other clean energy technologies.

JCBL Legislative Update: New employment laws are a major agenda item for the Colorado Legislature

By Jeff Weist,  Jefferson County Business Lobby

March 8, 2019

The relationship between employers and employees in Colorado faces a potentially seismic shift in the next year, if a long list of priority bills for the Legislature’s new Democrat majority pass in their present form. The issues the Legislature is tackling – like pay equity and paid family and medical leave – are important ones that have broad political support. But how the bills are written will determine how easy or hard it will be for JeffCo businesses to comply with the new mandates.

The JCBL has been working with a broad coalition of other business groups to offer amendments to reduce the compliance expense and new liability that will come with the likely passage of new laws. Take, for example, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (SB19-085). The JCBL opposes discrimination in pay based on sex or any other non-work-related factor. We believe our members are paying their employees fairly and, if they are not, they should.

However, as introduced, SB85 was unworkable for businesses. The bill creates a new right for employees to sue their employer in court for a discriminatory pay disparity. As under federal law, the burden of proof is on the employer to show that any pay disparity is based on a legitimate business-related factor, but the available defenses in the state bill were insufficient. For example, a night shift employee could not be paid more than a day shift employee. Nor could an employee with more experience, education or training expect a higher wage. An employer would have had to pay the same salary in La Junta as it does in Jefferson County. The damage awards were greater under the original version of the bill than in any other state around the country.

Working with the sponsors of the bill, however, the business coalition was able to secure a number of amendments to the bill to address all of those concerns listed above and more. While we still have a couple issues to negotiate, we are hopeful to address the major business concerns as the bill moves through the Legislature. But even with those changes to the bill, this likely new law will require businesses to change the way they post new jobs, pay their employees and handle opportunities for promotion.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act (FAMLI) was just introduced. SB19-188 imposes a tax on all employers and employees in the state to create a fund from which employees can file for wage replacement while taking leave from work for their own medical needs, the care of a new child, or to care for a sick relative or friend.  The program is modeled after the federal unpaid Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), with which most employers are familiar. Like FMLA, employers are required to reinstate an employee taking leave to the same or equivalent job upon return from leave. But unlike the federal FMLA, the state FAMLI program will cover all employers, including small employers, who are exempt under the federal law. Colorado’s proposed bill goes beyond the FMLA on the reasons for taking leave, the duration of leave, and the definition of family member; and is more generous to the employee in time-on-the-job requirements for eligibility and job protection.

In fact, SB188 represents the most generous paid leave program passed by any state in the nation. The tax imposed on employers and employees to fund the program is uncapped and to be set annually by the director of the program without review or approval by committee, Legislature or voters. Putting aside the administrative burdens and business disruptions inherent in any mandated paid leave program, the risks of another large insolvent state fund is a very real concern.

Just a reminder that you can find the status of all of the bills on which the JCBL has taken a position at jeffcobusinesslobby.org. While you are there, sign up for regular updates under the “Take Action” icon.

 

The Jefferson County Business Lobby advocates as the unified voice of 3,000 Jefferson County businesses for public policies that strengthen our business climate. The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations and the Alameda Connects BID.

JCBL NEWS UPDATE: CO Dept of Revenue to issue emergency sales tax rules Dec 1 with major impact on many JeffCo businesses

The Jefferson County Business Lobby wants to make sure that JeffCo businesses and chambers of commerce are aware of an important change the State of Colorado is implementing regarding the calculation of sales tax on shipped or delivered goods.

These rules could have a major impact on your business or those of your members. Below is background on the coming changes, as well as links to additional information. The JCBL would encourage you to contact the Department of Revenue and your state legislators with any concerns with these rules. Information about how to do that is below.
BACKGROUND

In September, all Colorado businesses that sell tangible goods within the state received notice of an emergency rule making by the Colorado Department of Revenue Taxation Division regarding a substantial change in the collection of sales tax. Previously, most businesses collected sales tax based on the location of the point of sale. Going forward, businesses will be required to collect state, county AND local sales tax based on the location of delivery.

 

Colorado has one of the most complicated sales and use tax systems in the entire country. With 383 overlapping cities, counties, and special districts, there are almost 700 different sales tax combinations. Most of the these can be remitted to the state, but 99 “home rule” municipalities collect their own taxes, so separate returns will need to be filed with them.

 

Beginning December 1, if you sell and deliver goods outside of the tax jurisdiction of your physical brick and mortar location, you will be required to register each of the nonphysical locations you sell into on the state’s database. You will also be required to apply for a sales tax license in each of these jurisdictions. The Department is granting an enforcement grace period until March 31, 2019.

 

These new sales tax rules were precipitated by a US Supreme Court ruling in June. South Dakota v. Wayfair permits states to require out-of-state retailers collect and remit state and local sales taxes. The Wayfair decision rested partly on the fact that South Dakota treated in state and out of state retailers equally in its rules. Colorado Department of Revenue is following suit and subjecting Colorado businesses to the same onerous rules that will apply to remote sellers.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Here is a link to the Department of Revenue memo sent in September, as well as a Denver Post story explaining the issue.

PUBLIC COMMENT

 

The Department is holding a public rulemaking hearing on November 30th. If you are concerned about the impact of the new rules on your business, we encourage you to attend that meeting, and to call your state and local elected officials to register your concerns.

You can email comments to the Department of Revenue at dor_taxrules@state.co.us.  The comments are due by November 30, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.

The JCBL encourages anyone to attend the hearing to raise concerns, as well. The details for that hearing are below.

Department of Revenue Rulemaking Hearing:

Date/Time:        November 30, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Location:           Department of Revenue, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 220, Denver, CO 80203

If you have contacted your legislator or the Department of Revenue, or have questions about the process, please let us know.

JCBL: 2018 Election Report

Jefferson County was the epicenter of last Tuesday’s electoral earthquake in Colorado. Democrats successfully parlayed broad dissatisfaction with Republican leadership in Washington, DC, into historic gains at the state level. The Jefferson County Business Lobby has been closely following races state-wide and wanted to get you this brief summary of the election results and what it means for Jefferson County’s business community.

Voter turnout in 2018 was about 25% greater than in the last midterm election of 2016. An energized Democratic base turned out and record levels of Unaffiliated voters (who surpassed both Democrats and Republicans for the first time) broke decisively for the Democrats.

While the story of the Democratic “Blue Wave” may be more mixed at the national level, there can be no doubt that wave hit Colorado. Governor-Elect Jared Polis and fellow Democrats won both branches of the State Legislature and all state-wide offices. The last time that happened was in 1936.

Here in Jefferson County, voters were bombarded by campaign advertising from three of the four most contested state legislative races in the state. The outcome of those elections determined control of the State Legislature, which had been under split partisan control for the last four years. Strong campaigns from State Rep. Brittany Petterson (D-Lakewood) and State Rep. Jessie Danielson (D-Golden), along with Conifer resident Tammy Story prevailed over well-funded Republican candidates – and by wide margins.

While most were focused on the State Senate races, the Blue Wave also propelled two former Republican JeffCo seats in the Democratic column. Brianna Titone edged out Vicki Pyne for a vacant Arvada House seat, while Lisa Cutter won another open seat in Evergreen. All told – pending ongoing recounts – House Democrats appear to have expanded their majority to 41 Democrat to 24 Republican seats.

While it was a great night for Democratic candidates in Colorado, interestingly, voters decisively rejected several ballot issues backed by center-left constituencies. A progressive income tax for education funding and severe restrictions on oil and gas development were both soundly defeated. Meanwhile, voters also rejected two competing and very different proposals to inject more funding into Colorado’s roads, sending a mixed signal on what voters would like done about one of our state’s most pressing needs.

Some of the most influential legislators at the Capitol serve JeffCo districts, like House Business Affairs Committee Chair Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Senator Rachel Zenzinger, newly appointed to the Joint Budget Committee. The JCBL will be continuing to communicate to them, and all of our delegation, the priorities of JeffCo businesses as important bills come up in 2019.

JCBL Legislative Update: Colorado’s 2019 budget to spend new revenue on transportation, PERA reforms and K-12

By Jeff Weist
Jefferson County Business Lobby

April 9, 2018

Unlike the U.S. Congress, Colorado’s state legislature must pass a balanced budget each year, as required by our state Constitution. Two full weeks of each 16-week legislative session is spent debating the coming year’s state budget, a process the legislature just completed. Here are some of the highlights of next year’s budget and how it will impact JeffCo’s business community.

Known as the “Long Bill”, the annual budget bill is written by the powerful Joint Budget Committee. While both the Republican Senate and Democratic House of Representatives added a large number of amendments to the bill over the last two weeks, the JBC will ultimately reject most of those. The state is in the unusual position of having extra tax revenue to spend, but both chambers of the legislature added enough amendments to the Long Bill to overspend even that new revenue.

Other than funding the state government for the coming year, the major new elements of the nearly $29 billion 2018-19 budget, as drafted by the JBC, were about $500 million for transportation, $225 million for reforms to the underfunded Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) and $150 million in extra funding for K-12 schools.

Regarding the JCBL’s top 2018 priority of finding more funding for transportation, the legislature and the business community continue down a few different paths that are slowly coalescing. The only thing that everyone seems to agree on at this point is that $500 million of the state’s excess revenue should go to transportation projects next year. While that is more general funding for transportation than we have seen in a long time, it is still a small down payment on the $9 billion backlog of road projects facing the state.

Plans for funding transportation after next year are less clear. The Senate Republicans’ top transportation agenda item – SB18-001 – cleared the Senate unanimously after a bi-partisan deal spearheaded by Jefferson County’s own Senator Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada). That deal provides for $500 million next year and about $150 million each year after that, with a plan to ask voters in 2019 to issue bonds so more projects can be completed earlier. The fate of that deal, however, is uncertain as SB001 heads to the Democratic House of Representatives. The leadership there has expressed a desire to see more of that funding go to local governments for their own transportation, transit and mobility projects.

Meanwhile, two business groups are moving forward with competing plans to ask voters to raise either sales taxes or vehicle ownership taxes to provide new funding for state and local transportation projects. If the legislature adequately funds transportation during this session, or two competing tax hike proposals actually make it to the ballot, the success of either could be in doubt.

Just a reminder that you can find the status of all of the JCBL bills at jeffcobusinesslobby.org. While you are there, sign up for regular updates under the “Take Action” icon.

The Jefferson County Business Lobby is the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol. The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation and the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations.

JCBL Legislative Update: At the halfway mark, a tentative deal on new transportation funding.

By Jeff Weist,
Jefferson County Business Lobby

March 21, 2018

The 2018 session of Colorado’s state legislature has been a relatively slow one for major business issues so far, but that all changed this week when the state’s economists released their latest forecast for state tax revenue receipts.  That number is important because most of the outstanding major issues left for Republican Senate and Democratic House to resolve – like more desperately-needed funding for transportation — depend on how much money is available to fund new priorities.

After more than a decade of tough years for the state legislature’s budget writers on the Joint Budget Committee, Colorado is facing an unusual rush of tax revenue this year due – ironically – to the federal tax reform bill recently enacted by the US Congress. In fact, the latest revenue estimates show state tax revenue to be up almost 13% for the current budget year.

That news set of a flurry of activity as legislators jockeyed to secure funding for not only transportation – a top JCBL priority – but also education, reform to underfunded state employee retirement system and many others.

It is still too early to know for sure, but the indications are encouraging that the state legislature will approve about $500 million dollars in one-time funding for transportation for the coming fiscal year.  Both the Senate and the Joint Budget Committee have approved that amount.  But a tentative bi-partisan deal in the Senate would also add another $250 million per year after that to pay for future bonding or maintenance. That is no where near enough to fill the estimated $9 billion backlog of road projects facing CDOT and our local communities statewide, but it is a decent start.

Jefferson County’s own State Senator Rachel Zenzinger play a key role in forging that bi-partisan deal.  It now heads to the House of Representatives, where the leadership there has indicated a desire to spend more of the surplus on education rather than transportation.

The current version of SB18-001, the vehicle for this new transportation funding proposal, would not send the question to the voters of issuing bonds to front-load road construction projects. That was a priority for the Republicans, a question that would be put off for a year to see if the voters approve either of two proposed tax increases for road projects.  One would increase the state sales tax from one-half to one percentage point, depending on which version the proponents push forward, while the other proposal would increase vehicle ownership taxes.

Just a reminder that you can find the status of all of the JCBL bills at jeffcobusinesslobby.org. While you are there, sign up for regular updates under the “Take Action” icon.

The Jefferson County Business Lobby is the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol.  The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation and the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations.

JCBL Legislative Update: Four transportation funding measures filed for the November 2018 ballot

By Jeff Weist
Jefferson County Business Lobby

February 23, 2018

One of the Jefferson County Business Lobby’s top priorities for 2018, as in years past, is increasing the state’s investment in our transportation infrastructure. Colorado is amassing a transportation investment deficit of nearly $1 billion each year, and we are spending half as much on transportation, on a per-person basis, as we did 25 years ago. While transportation funding has also been a top priority for the Republican and Democratic leaderships in the State Legislature, finding bi-partisan compromise on how to achieve it has been hard.

As a result, a business-led bi-partisan coalition this week filed four similar ballot titles in the hopes of asking the voters this coming November for an increase in the state sales tax to fund roads. The coalition is led by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Contractors Association, along with a number of local elected officials and community leaders.

According to the coalition, “These proposals increase the sales tax by point-five percent, point-six-two percent or one-point-zero percent, which amounts to just five to ten cents on a ten dollar purchase. A fourth proposal includes a point-five percent sales tax increase and requires the state to transfer $150 million from the general fund each year to state and local transportation projects. One proposal will ultimately be chosen to go forward, a decision that is dependent on the final amount that the state Legislature dedicates to transportation in this year’s budget.”

An expected surplus of state income tax revenue resulting from the recently-enacted federal tax reform bill has created an opportunity to dedicate some of that new revenue to transportation. The Republican and Democratic leaderships are in preliminary negotiations to determine how much, if any, of that surplus will go to roads.

While the four ballot initiatives filed this week vary in the amount of new revenue to be raised, all four would distribute those new dollars in the same manner. Forty-five percent would go to CDOT to address major projects like I-25 and I-70, and would be available to be bonded so the proceeds can be realized early and the work completed faster.

Forty percent of the new revenue would be split 50-50 among cities and counties, who would have flexibility to determine its best use.

And 15% would be spent by the state on multi-modal transportation options like mass transit, bike lanes, etc.

The tax increase would sunset after 20 years, the expected pay off of any bonds issued on the revenue.

The JCBL has not yet taken a position on any of these proposed ballot initiatives, but we will keep you updated.

Just a reminder that you can find the status of all of the JCBL bills at jeffcobusinesslobby.org. While you are there, sign up for regular updates under the “Take Action” icon. Lastly, please mark your calendars for the JCBL Day at the Capitol on March 6th from 8-11am.

The Jefferson County Business Lobby is the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol. The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation and the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations.

JCBL Legislative Update: JeffCo’s legislators are leading the way on the top business issues in 2018

By Jeff Weist
Jefferson County Business Lobby

February 12, 2018

As the Jefferson County Business Lobby reviews and takes formal positions on the most important business-related bills of the 2018 Colorado legislative session, we are proud to note that, once again, JeffCo’s own state legislators are playing leading roles on many of the JCBL’s top policy priorities.

Those priorities for the year include increased transportation funding, easing regulatory burdens to maintain a strong, competitive business environment and helping businesses attract and retain skilled employees through better education and an affordable housing supply.

(You can track the status of JCBL’s priority bills – and help the JCBL communicate those priorities to our legislators – by going to jeffcobusinesslobby.org and clicking on “Take Action” to sign up for legislative updates and alerts.)

Three efforts are underway to find a much needed increase in funding for transportation infrastructure. All eyes on are a potential ballot question in November that will ask voters to approve higher sales taxes for roads. Meanwhile, the Legislature will have to decide how much, if any, of an unexpected state revenue surplus will go to transportation. That decision won’t be made until late in the session. Also, the Senate Republican majority have made a proposal to dedicate a portion of state sales tax revenue to pay back $3.5 billion in road bonds their top legislative priority – SB001. JeffCo Rep. Tim Leonard and Sen. Tim Neville have introduced a similar measure (HB1119) and the JCBL is supporting both bills. In fact, we support an “all of the above” approach to road funding.

The JCBL has also been reviewing a large number of bills to help Colorado’s business train and retain skilled talent. For example, the JCBL is supporting bills creating tax credits for childcare expenses (HB1004), requiring more information be sent to high schoolers and their parents about college credit that can be earned in high school (HB1005 – JeffCo Rep. Brittany Petterson), and funding the construction of career and technical education facilities (HB1034).

Affordable housing for new and current employees is also a priority for the JeffCo business community. No new legislation addressing the construction litigation crisis in condos is expected, but the JCBL is supporting a bill to extend the existing low income housing tax credit (SB007), while opposing some misguided attempts such as imposing a tax on plastic bags (HB1054) and real estate transactions (SB006) to fund affordable housing.

The JCBL is also supporting a number of bills to reduce tax and regulatory burdens on businesses. A multi-year effort to simplify Colorado’s notoriously difficult sales tax system may take a major step forward with legislation to help create a state-wide simplified sales tax reporting system (HB1022, with an all-JeffCo lineup of sponsors – Representatives Lang Sias and Tracy Kraft-Tharp and Senators Cheri Jahn and Tim Neville).

Other pro-business bills supported by the JCBL include one to reduce business personal property taxes (HB1036 – Rep. Tim Leonard and Sen. Tim Neville); another to permit small businesses to “cure” minor regulatory paperwork infractions without a fine (HB1113 – Sen. Tim Neville); and, one to permanently extend the requirement that state regulators do a cost-benefit analysis before finalizing new regulations (HB1237 – Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp and Sen. Tim Neville).

Lastly, JeffCo legislators are also leading the charge on several economic development measures supported by the JCBL. Those include: reforming Colorado’s business income tax sourcing method to attract more national companies to Colorado (HB1185 – Rep, Tracy Kraft-Tharp and Sen. Tim Neville); extending the important Advanced Industry Export Acceleration program (HB1135 – Rep. Tracy Kraft Tharp); and, creating sales tax exemptions for on-demand air carriers important to our regional airport (HB1083 – Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp and Lang Sias)

Again, you can find the status of all of the JCBL bills at jeffcobusinesslobby.org. While you are there, sign up for regular updates under the “Take Action” icon. Lastly, please mark your calendars for the JCBL Day at the Capitol on March 6th from 8-11am.

The Jefferson County Business Lobby is the united voice of JeffCo businesses at the Colorado State Capitol. The JCBL is a partnership comprised of the Arvada, Evergreen, Golden, West Metro, Westminster and Wheat Ridge Chambers of Commerce, the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation and the Applewood and Wheat Ridge Business Associations.

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