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Job-killers and mergers
Kelly Brough //June 17, 2010//
Summer in the city — and the livin’ is not so easy. We have been getting some figures from Coloradans for Responsible Reform ( CFRR) on the impact of Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101.
They estimate that, when fully implemented, these three initiatives can kill as many as 100,000 jobs – many of them private sector -primarily because when public entities bond capital investments (construction projects), much of that work goes to the private sector.
It just makes me shake my head – Colorado is finally coming out of the recession, and these three killers show up on the scene.
Colorado has already lost over 100,000 jobs in this recession, and to lose 100,000 more would absolutely devastate our economy. (As my Grandpa used to say, “it would really give us something to cry about.”)
Speaking of jobs — It seems as though merger year is upon us. Qwest and CenturyTel, United and Continental, Frontier and Republic – all announced mergers in recent months, and unfortunately, didn’t deliver or keep headquarters in Denver.
While this gives us all pause, there is some additional information you should know.
Our EDC Chief Tom Clark points out that we have secured 38 headquarters since 2003. Furthermore, what really matters are jobs for Coloradans right now. And most agree the growth will really come in the smaller companies. Those employers under 100 employees, are slowly adding positions.
Since our mantra is jobs, jobs, jobs, we need to keep our focus there. Don’t get me wrong — if we can have both, we want them, but if we can only have one, we’ll take the jobs every time.
So, now we’ll work hard to show CenturyTel how we will support them and ensure their success in Colorado, so they keep the majority of those 7,900 jobs right here.
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