Weekly News from COBRT
LEADERSHIP. REACH. RESULTS.
May 2, 2017
KEY ISSUESRADIO/PODCASTVIDEOSEVENTSCONTACT
Tax & Fiscal Policy
Significant tax reform will jump start our economy and lead to enhanced investments, research, hirings, and certainty within the business community. The Colorado Business Roundtable is pleased to offer this conference call with our partner AT&T this Wednesday (5/3/17) with the Tax Foundation. In addition to discussing the various proposals and paths forward, they will also briefly address Colorado's state business ranking in their publication, State Business Tax Climate Index.

Presentation from the Tax Foundation
 * Kyle Pomerleau, Director, Center for Federal Tax Policy
* Nicole Kaeding, Economist, Center for State Tax Policy

The briefing will consist of: 
- An overview of The House GOP Blueprint's effect on Colorado and its impact on jobs, family incomes, and the business tax relief on Colorado businesses. 

Impact on Jobs and Family Incomes by State: The House GOP Blueprint would lead to the creation of roughly 30,000+ new jobs and boost the after-tax incomes of the median household by $5,794 in Colorado.

Business Tax Relief by State: The House GOP Blueprint provides a net $33 billion tax cut for Colorado businesses over the next decade, as scored on a static basis. 
 

View the Tax Foundation's 2017 State Business Tax Climate Index
Education & Workforce

Notable Speakers

The Honorable:
Governor John Hickenlooper, Colorado
Governor Steve Bullock, Montana
Governor Dennis Daugaard, South Dakota

Allen Blue
Co-Founder & Vice President of Product Management, LinkedIn

Denise Peppard
 Chief Human Resources Officer, Northrup Grumman Corporation

Melody Schopp
Secretary of Education, South Dakota
President, Council of Chief State School Officers

Monique Rizer
Executive Director, Opportunity Nation

Kim Clark

Commissioner of Church Education, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 
Former Dean, Harvard Business School; Former President, BYU Idaho

Zoe Baird
President and Chief Executive Officer, Markle Foundation

Matt Sigelman
Chief Operating Officer, Burning Glass Technologies

Joe Garcia
President, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education



Senior Executives from Walmart, IBM, PwC, US Chamber of Commerce Foundation
...and many more!
 

Thursday, May 11, 2017 9:00 AM -
Saturday, May 13, 2017 2:30 PM (Mountain Time)

Denver Marriott City Center
(303) 297-1300
1701 California St
Denver, Colorado 80202

And register here (remember to use the discount code COBRT2017WPC for $100 off)
Tax & Fiscal Policy
Last week, President Donald Trump announced his intentions of lowering the tax rate to 15 percent for small businesses, or "pass-throughs". This 60 percent tax cut will allow small businesses-who employ roughly half of the U.S. workforce-to create new jobs, raise wages, invest in new products, and reinvigorate their communities.

To coincide with Trump's announcement, the Job Creators Network launched a campaign that included full-page ads in the 
Wall Street Journal and The Hill, as well as a commercial that ran on the WJLA D.C. news last night and on Morning Joe.
"America's tax system is a disaster. It is a self-defeating combination of fairly high tax rates and generous exemptions that mean little money is actually raised. It is mind-bogglingly complex: the income-tax code is so knotty that America has as many tax preparers per 1,000 people as Indonesia has doctors. It distorts behaviour: American firms have at least $1trn-worth of cash stashed abroad to avoid the taxman.

Change is hard, but not impossible. In 1986 Ronald Reagan and lawmakers from both parties proved that, with sufficient patience, persistence and willingness to compromise, it can happen. Their bill slashed tax rates while broadening the tax base so much that no revenue was lost. In fact, the money raised from corporations rose after Reagan signed the bill."

The Health Insurance Tax (HIT) is a brutal tax on health care that continues to cripple small and independent businesses throughout our state. While we often hear about rising premiums and unaffordable costs of healthcare for many, the HIT is an additional and specific tax on the health care plans that small business owners purchase for their employees. It's estimated the HIT will cost businesses $500 in taxes per employee per year. A burden of this size will crush Colorado's small businesses.

As Congress returns to session and begins to navigate funding the budget, delaying the HIT is non-negotiable if we want our economy to thrive. The Colorado Business Roundtable hopes we can count on Congressman Coffman to vote for this delay and encourage his colleagues to do the same. Colorado cannot afford the Health Insurance Tax for 2018.

Read the full op-ed here
Education & Workforce
"What do leaders of some of America's largest and most successful corporations think about ethical standards in corporate America today?  Do guidelines for ethical behavior within an organization really matter?  Does having ethical standards change or alter "business as usual"?  Are they meaningful in today's business environment?

Elevate Ethics featured senior executives from leading corporations based in the Denver area. The live audience of 150 included senior business executives and independent corporate directors, senior University of Denver officials and trustees, selected University of Denver alumni and supporters and Daniels College of Business faculty and students."

"Phil Harwood's childhood love for bicycles quickly flourished into a full-fledged career.
 
Today, he's the floor shop manager at Alchemy Bicycle Co., a manufacturing shop and retail store in Denver. His co-workers call him a "floater" because he does it all - everything from working the retail floor, to repairs, to building Alchemy bikes.
 
Harwood is the first worker the DBJ features in our new "DBJ Jobs" video series, which will follow people who work with their hands in sectors ranging from manufacturing, to food and beverage, to technology and more."

Read more and watch the DBJ video here
Smart Regulation
Join COBRT, The Madison Coalition, and National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for a roundtable discussion on the Regulation Freedom Amendment.

The Regulation Freedom Amendment would end "regulation without representation" by permanently requiring that major new Federal regulations be approved by Congress. The Amendment would curb the power of Washington regulators to re-write the meaning of laws without the consent of Congress. The Amendment has been endorsed by a bipartisan group of more than 1,000 State Legislators, 7 Governors, and former Governors, including Mike Pence. 

Photo by Sara Hertwig for Denverite
Photo by Sara Hertwig for Denverite

"U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, an Arvada Democrat, is teaming up with representatives from Alaska and Washington this week for another push at getting marijuana-related businesses access to the federal banking system.

The Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act would allow banking organizations to serve pot shops, cultivation centers and other marijuana-related businesses in states regulating the drug. The move is part of the recently formed Cannabis Caucus' efforts to increase protections for the legal marijuana industry."

Right before the end of the Obama administration, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rushed through an unnecessary and duplicative methane emission rule that creates a costly barrier to energy development on public lands.
 
Recently, the House approved measures to roll back this hasty, eleventh-hour overreach. Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner should support a proposed resolution to reverse the BLM rule.
 
Methane emissions are already regulated by the states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Colorado in fact has some of the toughest methane emission rules in the nation.

The U.S. economy expanded by just 0.7 percent in Q1, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the weakest rate in three years. A marked slowdown in consumer spending weighed on growth, while a decline in inventory investment and government spending nearly offset gains in business investment, residential investment, and exports.



Colorado Business Roundtable's Inner Circle gives our members access to Colorado's top business women and men. #COBRTInnerCircle members share their leadership lessons and invite you to learn more about them and their organizations.
 
Sandy Rothe is the Managing Partner for Deloitte's Denver office. He is responsible for implementing the firm's strategies in the Colorado marketplace, including delivering multifunctional services in the auditing, tax, enterprise risk, financial advisory and consulting areas. 

Sandy is on the Board of Junior Achievement - Rocky Mountain Inc. (past Chairman), he serves on the Board ofTrustees of the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Board of Trustees of the Denver Botanic Gardens and is on the Global Leadership Council at Colorado State University - College of Business.


Listen at KDMT 1690 AM Denver's Money Talk from 
4-5 p.m. Monday through Friday or live stream online. Podcasts are available at www.cobrt.com/radio and on your favorite podcast app the day after live airing.

Stream or Download These Recent Episodes

See all at our events page and use this contact form to add yours!
 5/2/17
Start-Up Basics - Colorado Small Business Week

Using Innovation to Scale (panel discussion) - Colorado Small Business Week

 Strategic Marketing Info Session - Colorado Small Business Week

AT&T Connect Conference Call with COBRT and the Tax Foundation 

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Babson College (Info Session)


5/5/17
Manufacturer's Edge - First Friday WebinarImpactful Use of Lean in the Office 

5/8 - 5/13
National Economic Development Week - CO Office of Economic Development

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Babson College (Info Session)

5/11 - 5/13
Western Pathways 2017


5/16/17
World Trade Day 2017 - World Trade Center Denver 

5/19/17
Why WiM with WiM Colorado - Women in Manufacturing
Thank you to our COBRT Sponsors
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