Almost a decade ago, David Lewis wrote for Colorado-Biz that Colorado was “a natural-gas leader,” while European-based energy organizations crowed about the “Golden Age of Gas.” Natural gas-powered vehicles were the green-fad de jour in 2013. Many then, and to…
After a turbulent election cycle that saw many pundits predict that the GOP would gain ground in both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly (or even possibly retake the state Senate), Democrats cemented their dominance of the state legislature with…
If you’ve lived here long enough, you know about Colorado’s infamous brown cloud and seen the electronic signs with air quality warnings. These ozone alerts from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) appear more often on hot summer days and…
Colorado is one of the states in the country where marijuana is legal. Since its legalization, marijuana has had varying effects on the people, economy, and general existence in Colorado. Identifying the benefits and risks of marijuana use in the…
With mid-term elections in the rear-view mirror, ColoradoBiz looked ahead to the 2023 legislative session and asked Ellie Reynolds and Matt LaCrue from the bipartisan, public-affairs firm, 76 Group, what to expect now that the dust has settled and the…
Using wheelbarrows to transport the merchandise, Maria’s Bookshop moved into its current location in an old building in downtown Durango in 1992. Last year, it sold 100,000 volumes, many of them hardbacks. Tourists constitute about half the customers of Maria’s,…
In 2023, the Federal Reserve will continue to battle inflation and hike rates reaching its terminal rate in the first half of the year, while inflation slowly dissipates. This will cause economic activity to slow, perhaps to a recession-like pace,…
Governor Polis and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) formally announced today that Caliola, a 100% woman-owned communications technology firm that specializes in supporting the defense industry, has selected Colorado…
Since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in late 2017, companies have been working to interpret and implement changes prompted by the new law. Most companies are aware of the legislative change that requires taxpayers to…
For the 39th year, PNC calculated the cost of Christmas. With the year-over-year increase in 2022 being the third highest on record, inflation for services far outstripped goods in this year’s PNC Christmas Price Index® (PNC CPI) — a light-hearted…
More than 50% of American small business owners who responded to CNBC’s latest “Small Business Confidence” survey think the U.S. economy is in “poor” condition and say inflation is their top challenge. Time has proven that the Paycheck Protection Program…
Two years ago, when gasoline prices were in the $2.20 range, I thought how fortunate I was, not to mention everyone else, that a staple of modern life wasn’t just affordable, but a decent bargain. Then, of course, came the…
With ballots hitting millions of Colorado mailboxes last week, it can be tough to sift through the countless resources voters now have (or receive) when casting their votes. Perhaps too much information can be a bad thing. But with energy…
The world of community economics includes Charles Tiebout’s 1956 theory suggesting people “vote” on private products with their pocketbooks and vote on government services with their feet. If you do not like what you are getting from the government, move…
Morrison’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre sold 505,312 tickets in 2007. That number soared to 1.3 million in 2021 and could top 1.5 million in 2022, according to Denver Arts & Venues. Over the last five years, out-of-staters bought 42 percent…
The cost of groceries has steadily climbed over the last year, with a new record increase of 13.5% set in August (Consumer Price Index). On the heels of a pandemic, that led to unprecedented demand for food services. The rising…
For some advisors, two negative quarters of Gross Domestic Product means we are in a recession. Other advisors are waiting for the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) to officially declare one. NBER defines a recession as “a significant decline…
It probably wouldn’t be breaking news if I informed our readers that the mainstream media missed something big. But you can’t always fault the press. Colorado’s daily news outlets, with shrinking staff and resources, competing in a 24/7 news cycle…
The success of a flourishing economy, community, and workforce is dependent upon child care that is both accessible and affordable. Yet the business model for providing child care services in Colorado has been strained for years, leading to an ongoing…
It takes a constant and coordinated effort to steady and direct the country’s economic future. And as the US remains a global leader in innovation, investments, and creativity, states like Colorado have proven fertile ground for national companies to invest,…
Homeowners thinking about adding freestanding ADUs (accessory dwelling units, a.k.a. in-law apartments, granny flats, or cottages) tend to focus on creating much-needed space without knocking down walls in the houses they’re living in, the addition of rental income, and other…
The last time I wrote about the bond market was five years ago when interest rates were about to become inverted. When this happens, it simply means you can get a higher interest rate on a shorter maturity bond than…
There is a dichotomy within my ancestral families. My mother’s side has ties to slave ownership while on my father’s side we find post-Civil War carpetbaggers. Contemplating these disparate realities, I see a common thread—human exploitation of one type or…
Amidst a 40-year high in inflation, a housing affordability crisis, and volatile gas prices, Colorado lawmakers are doubling down on their aggressive environmental policies. In support of HB19-1261, which included greenhouse gas emission reduction targets 26% by 2025, 50% by…
