ASSET Bill Signed Into Law

Senate Bill 13-033, known as ASSET, was signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper on April 29th.  The bill makes undocumented students who graduated from Colorado high schools eligible for in-state tuition and the College Opportunity Fund stipend at all of the state's public post-secondary institutions. To learn more about ASSET implementation, including who qualifies, click here.

CO State Education Finance Bill

Senate Bill 13-213 awaits the Governor's signature. The plan, described as a major shift in how Colorado funds education statewide, directs significantly more funds to districts with the highest concentrations of at-risk students and English language learners. Other key elements of the bill include increased funding for kindergarten and preschool, and for special education, all contingent on passing a statewide ballot measure to raise taxes.  

Job Growth Incentive Tax and Work Share Program Extentions

Two pieces of legislation have had extensions approved; The Colorado Job Growth Incentive Tax (HB-1287) and the Colorado Work Share Program (SB-157.)  HB-1287 signed by the President of the Senate, provides an extension of five income tax years of the original Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit.  SB-157, signed by the Governor, eliminates the “sunset date” of the original legislation allowing employees to collect prorated unemployment from their employers if their hours have been reduced and federal funds are not available.

Grants for Students Pursuing Degrees in Key Industry Sectors

Advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience and information technology are among the key industry sectors identified in  SB 13-218, Workforce Development for Key Industries in Colorado.  The bill was postponed indefinitely in the House Appropriations Committee. Grants would have been provided to institutions to assist students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in these areas of study.

Tend Your Economic Garden

The House considered Senate Amendments and the result was to concur - repass  a pilot program through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Strategic counseling  will be provided to qualifying businesses to help them grow to the next level.  The Economic Gardening Program (HB 13-1003) will offer services to businesses that have headquartered in Colorado for 2 years, have gross revenues between $500,000 - $50 million, have a product or service that can be exported out-of-state, and have 6-99 employees.

Use of Consumer Credit Information by Employers

SB-13-018 has been signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper. This bill prohibits employers from using credit information in making hiring or promotion decisions unless the information is "substantially related" to a job.  The legislation was designed to provide protection to low-wage workers, victims of identity theft, unemployed workers and students.

Immigration Reform Bill Update

On Wednesday, we got an exclusive briefing on the draft immigration reform bill from Senator Bennet’s staff. Immigration is a key economic issue for Colorado and Senator Bennet is one of the “gang of eight” senators who drafted the legislation. Our high-tech and agricultural sectors are particularly impacted by our broken immigration system, and have been involved in creating real, viable solutions. A press release on the Senator’s website states,

“To help strengthen our economy this bill increases the number of H-1B visas for high skilled jobs.  It also includes a new INVEST visa, which Bennet included in the bill.  Immigrant entrepreneurs who seek to start new businesses and create jobs in the United States would qualify for this new visa.  Specifically, it would create a new, three-year visa for individuals who are able to meet certain revenue, job creation and initial investment requirements.”

For more information, contact Monisha M. Merchant | 303-455-7600 | Senior Advisor for Business Affairs | U.S. Senator Michael F. Bennet

Links:

Full press release

summary of the bill

read the bill

video of Senator Bennet’s remarks

Federal Marketplace Fairness Act

2013 has been a turnaround year for The Marketplace Fairness Act, an idea championed by brick-and-mortar sellers for more than a decade.  In a rare bipartisan approach, the amendment to the 2013 budget was passed out of the Senate, and will likely next be introduced as a separate bill.  Proponents of the measure include a majority of governors and over 300 business, labor, and state and local government organizations, who say that the Act would enhance states’ rights regarding sales and use tax collection authority and in the process level the playing field for all merchants. Opponents of The Marketplace Fairness Act, which include Facebook, Amazon and other members of NetChoice, believe that the existing state sales tax, requiring  applicable  tax on all purchases, online or offline is sufficient, and that Congress should not give states new tax powers unless it also requires radical simplification of the present sales tax situation.

Online-only sellers with less than $1 million in remote sales annually would be exempt, estimated to be nearly 99 percent of such sellers. Participating states would be required to provide businesses with software for tax collection calculated by ZIP code. While the federal budget bill remains in contention, the changes will not go into effect.

The local version of the Marketplace Fairness Act awaits the Governor's signature as House Bill 13-1295.  The bill would permit those local taxing jurisdictions governed by a home rule or charter to opt in by passing a local ordinance or resolution.  Colorado would then be authorized by the Federal Government to require remote sellers to collect sales tax on taxable sales made within the State, in conformance with the provisions of the Act.

CO Advanced Industries Acceleration Act

HB-1001, the Advanced Industries Acceleration Act  will create a new Advanced Industries Acceleration Fund, to fund grants for qualifying firms in seven industry categories.  These are designated as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, and information technology  Senator Heath said at a recent town hall meeting that these investments will help drive growth in high-paying, high-skill jobs in Colorado. 

Amendment 64 Implementation

House Bill 1317 regarding the structure and operation of recreational marijuana businesses, awaits the Governor's signature. A second bill, HB 1318, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Singer, (D-Longmont) creates a 15% special sales tax on recreational marijuana and a 15% excise tax on transfers between growers and sellers, subject to approval by voters statewide in November.

Locally, the implementation of Amendment 64 was on the agenda at City Council's April 23rd Study Session, with discussion centering on whether to propose a local sales or excise tax in addition to those outlined in HB 1316 and 1318.   A working group consisting of representatives from Boulder, Denver and Pueblo and other municipalities state wide may be formed to address implementation issues. Concerns have been raised regarding the societal impacts particularly as may affect Boulder’s youth. July 1 is the deadline for regulations for issuing licenses, and the City must designate an agency to license by October 1.  November 15 is the first day to issue licenses and the State must issue licenses January 1, 2014.

Boulder Explores Municipalizing Power

The Boulder Chamber supports the goals of clean energy and innovation that the City of Boulder seeks to achieve in exploring municipalizing Boulder’s power. But like any entrepreneurial venture, it carries risk. We will continue as honest, open minded brokers, protecting Boulder’s economic health and the interests of Boulder’s businesses vigilantly by advocating for a rigorous fact-based analysis and transparent evaluation process.

Click here for latest developments

Civic Area Master Plan Update

Boulder senior urban designer Sam Assefa, co-manager of  the Civic Area project, provided information to City Council at their March 19^th meeting as part of  the Civic Area Master Plan Update. There will be additional opportunities for public comment and feedback through the summer, with the City Council expected to formally adopt a Civic Area Master Plan in August . This presentation may be viewed here. 

Next steps include a student design competition to be held on May 1, followed by a public workshop, the Civic Area Preference Open House at Boulder High School on May 6th from 6-7:30.  Presentations to the relevant boards and commissions will continue throughout May with the matter to come back to Council for review on June 6^th.  Learn more about the NAIOP Civic Area Challenge, or visit www.bouldercivicarea.com for more information. 

Civic Pad next to St. Julien

While ideas regarding potential uses of the Civic Pad site adjacent to the St. Julien Hotel have been thick on the ground, financing and the partnership opportunities for getting that project off the ground have not been as plentiful. Since 1995 when the space was initially set aside for a complex site plan for a building as large as 37,000 square-feet with 20 percent of developed floor space dedicated to a civic benefit, three separate task forces have grappled with the issue.  An added wrinkle is a non-compete clause with the hotel regarding food service.

To move forward in advance of the deadline, Task Force IV has issued an RFI calling for submissions from "qualified, experienced developers or development teams." They are suggesting a “layer cake” approach, wherein each level of the building could house three uses.  For a copy of the RFI, contact Ellen Cunningham at the City of Boulder via email.

Local Impacts of Federal Sequestration

The Boulder Valley School District reports a total sequestration impact of $502,000 on their 2013-2014 annual operating budget.  Progammatic cuts as of July 1, 2013, due to the 5% reduction in federal funds were listed as:

Title I     Reduced Allocation to 8 schools         1.5 FTE     $125,000
Title II    District-level Literacy Coach                 .5 FTE     $ 37,000
Title III   District-level TOSA                           0.7 FTE     $  65,000
SPED      (IDEA) Reduced teacher allocation       3.0 FTE    $275,000

CDOT Key Projects Update

As Chair of Senate Transportation, Senator Rollie Heath provided updates on key projects, including U.S. 36:

• U.S. 36 Managed Lanes, Phase 1:  Construction is underway to add one managed lane in each direction from Federal Boulevard to Interlocken Loop.  The project will include bikeway and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) improvements, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology for tolling.
• U.S. 36 Managed Lanes, Phase 2:  One new managed lane in each direction from Interlocken to Foothills Parkways, with BRT and bikeway improvements and ITS technology.
• 1-70 Eastbound:  Construction begins April 2013 on an 1-70 project that will widen the eastbound Twin Tunnel and add a 3^rd lane from Idaho Springs to Floyd Hill.
• The new “RAMP” program gives CDOT the authority to use additional revenues of $300 million per year for transportation improvements over the next five years.

City of Boulder Transportation Master Plan Update

The City of Boulder has begun a year-long, integrated community planning process to update the 2013 Transportation Master Plan (TMP). An open house is scheduled to present the latest update in the TMP process, Complete Streets Bicycle Innovations Open House onThursday, May 9 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Alfalfa’s Community Room, 1651 Broadway.  At their April 23rd Study Session, Council discussed funding mechanisms to maintain or expand the city’s existing transportation system, in the form or a Transportation Maintenance Fee or Tax (TMF), potentially on the November 2013 ballot. The draft report on a TMF and Council Study Session materials are available here.  

Lobato decision

Billions of dollars in education spending as well as the shape of the state’s K-12 system are in play in another arena. The Lobato v. State oral arguments continued in the Colorado Supreme Court this week, with debate over what makes a constitutionally adequate education at the forefront. The high court is considering the state’s appeal of the 2011 that the state’s school funding system isn’t “rationally related” to the state constitution’s requirement for a “thorough and uniform” public education system. Justice Gregory Hobbs, referring to the legislature, said, “They’re setting all these [education] requirements and not backing it up” with funding.  We are tracking how Lobato, if upheld, will intersect with Senator Johnston’s potential School Finance Bill, if passed.  Any school-funding formula will have to navigate the constitutional conflicts among the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR, the Gallagher Amendment and Amendment 23.

Boulder Chamber 2013 Policy Agenda

The Boulder Chamber has been elevating our region as the best place to live, work and play for over 100 years. Our advocacy and outreach are important member benefits, working for you to help create a stronger regional economy. The Guiding Principles for Advocacy and 2013 Policy Agenda guide our efforts and represent the synthesis of member input, research and deliberation by the Community Affairs Council, and final decisions by our Board of Directors.

Our Policy Agenda reflects the uniqueness of our business community, which values and recognizes environmental and social sustainability as part of the economic equation.  It has been crafted to addresses the issues that affect you and your business most directly.

Priority action areas include advocating for space for Boulder businesses to grow, engaging with Xcel and the City of Boulder to advance cleaner, cost-effective energy for Boulder businesses, working with our regional partners to ensure Boulder gets its fair share of efficient FasTracks investment, promoting voluntary commercial building energy efficiency, broading participation in civic leadership, and focusing on jobs and the economy for the Boulder area. We welcome your comments. Click here to tell us what you think.

Cone Zones on U.S. 36

If you, your employees or colleagues commute on U.S. 36, you will want the latest information on how the Express Lanes construction project impacts you. The good news is...there's an app for that! 

CDOT Mobile App for iPhone/iPad

CDOT Mobile App for Android

You'll also find helpful planning information on the 36Commuting Solutions "Prepare Your Workforce for US 36 Express Lanes Contruction" page as well as on the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) project page.