development

Policy brief explaining why Colorado should use 15% of federal ???Reed Act??? funds to ensure the provision of effective workforce development services to the state???s growing population of unemployed and underemployed workers.

The state should contribute at least $1 million each year to fund a statewide IDA program. That would help double the number of low-income families that can participate in an IDA program. It should also make the tax credit permanent for those who contribute matching funds to IDA programs.

The legislature should create and fund a state micro-enterprise development authority to award grants to qualifying organizations, leverage additional funding sources, and be an information network and state advocate for micro-enterprise organizations and micro-business owners.

Colorado should continue to carefully target economic development incentives to create jobs that pay self-sufficient wages, provide health insurance and retirement benefits and contribute to the overall economic well being of the state. Let???s also make sure economic development incentives continue to be transparent, so we know which businesses receive incentives, how much they get, and how many and what kind of jobs they create.

A Boulder Daily Camera commentary exploring options for encouraging savings for low-income families, including individual development accounts (IDAs).

State government can lead the way by insisting that all state buildings, whether state-owned or leased, meet the highest standards for energy efficiency. State government should also convert its fleet to alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles as quickly as possible. The Office of Economic Development should also target more of its grant and loan portfolio toward projects that promote renewable energy technologies.

We should fight poverty; 10 percent of Colorado???s families still live below the federal poverty line. But at least twice as many of our families and children live in the economic noman???s- land between the federal poverty line and actual selfsufficiency. We must ensure hard work pays and that necessities like housing, child care and health care are affordable. And we should make sure that low-income families can also begin to save and build assets.

Colorado can restructure its education system for the 21st Century, ensure Colorado families can afford the health care they need, renew the promise of secure pensions and retirement plans and make strategic investments in the jobs and infrastructure that underpin a competitive economy.

The legislature should create and fund a state micro-enterprise development authority to award grants to qualifying organizations, leverage additional funding sources, and be an information network and state advocate for micro-enterprise organizations and micro-business owners.

Colorado should continue to carefully target economic development incentives to create jobs that contribute to the overall economic well-being of the state. Let???s also make sure economic development incentives continue to be transparent, so we know which businesses receive incentives, how much they get, and how many and what kind of jobs they create. And let???s protect taxpayers by continuing to require companies to repay incentives if they fail to create the jobs promised.