Weekly News from COBRT - May 15, 2018
LEADERSHIP. REACH. RESULTS.
May 15, 2018

Colorado Business Roundtable is excited to announce our newest partner, Denver South Economic Development Partnership. Thank you for your support and we look forward to working with you. 
The Denver Business Journal surveyed business leaders on priorities before the start of the 2018 legislative session. Here is what happened with transportation funding, affordable housing, oil and gas regulations, public pension reform, employer mandates, opioid issues, rural broadband funding, and alcohol-sales regulation. 

Blockchain's influence in the public sector will be mostly behind the scenes.  But the technology has the potential to bring security, efficiency, and speed to a wide range of services and processes. How should government agencies look to incorporate blockchain into the way they function today? 

In a literal 11th-hour compromise, Colorado legislators agreed to close a $32 billion unfunded liability on the state's public-pension system - and avoid a downgrade in the state's bond rating - by requiring increased contributions by employees to their retirement, reducing their annual cost-of-living adjustment and raising by six years the minimum age at which they can leave behind their public-sector careers. 


Thank you to everyone who attended the cybersecurity roundtable last week. We appreciate CSU-Global so much for putting on this fantastic event. Thank you to our speaker, Vance Brown with National Cybersecurity Center for speaking at this event. Also a big thank you to our panelists from IBM, AT&T, Microsoft, Apple, NewCloud Networks, and Colorado Workforce Development Council. 

Although Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce leaders remain a week away from deciding how big a sales-tax hike they will seek on November statewide ballot for transportation needs, Colorado legislative leaders are already starting to split into two camps: one group that says they'll like to support whatever comes from the chamber and another that says it is likely to back a non-taxing measure from the Independence Institute. 

First Look: Colorado Education Survey Shows Billions At Stake In Boosting Education
A new study asks the question: What if Colorado schools were the best in the nation? The answer is somewhere in the billions. The study, "What if Colorado Schools Were No. 1 - A Business Guide for Colorado's Next Governor," which will be released Tuesday, was commissioned by the Denver Business Journal, Colorado Succeeds, Common Sense Policy Roundtable and 18 other business organizations. It surveyed likely voters and more than 300 employers about Colorado's education system and the effect of the so-called "skills gap," or the difference between the skills employers expect from their workers and the actual competency and ability of the workforce. 


COBRT expresses our deepest  appreciation for the life, service, and dedication of a true servant leader. Mayor Hogan has led Aurora with honor and distinction. We will all miss his unquenchable desire to better his community. 
Stephen D. Hogan, mayor of Aurora and an elected official representing Colorado's third-largest city for a third of a century, died early Sunday following a battle with cancer, the city announced. He was 69. 

Last week's #WorkforceWednesday features Mark J. Costa, Board Chair and CEO of Eastman and chair of the Business Roundtable Smart Regulation Committee. Eastman is pursuing an innovative talent development strategy that includes comprehensive, industry-driven programs to build critical capabilities for local manufacturing workers for the future. 

Last week Colorado Business Roundtable went to the State of the State where we would like to thank Governor Hickenlooper for his services and last State of the State. Also thank you to Denver Chamber for their leadership and AT&T who was the presenting sponsor for this event. 
In an official comment letter today, Business Roundtable urged the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) not to use its Section 301 authority to impose a 25 percent tariff on Chinese products. Instead, the Administration should give negotiations over economic reforms in China a chance to succeed. "Business Roundtable is encouraged that the U.S. and Chinese governments are at the negotiating table and hopeful they will continue discussions and agree on actions that lead to a more mutually beneficial economic relationship," the letter stated. Business Roundtable said it agreed with the Administration that China must change its trade and investment practices. The Roundtable recommended working with America's international partners to press for economic reforms by setting deadlines and identifying specific responses if China fails to act.
Business Roundtable, a member of the Infrastructure Week steering committee, will play a leading role in next week's activities. At Monday's kick-off event held at Washington's Union Station, Business Roundtable President & CEO Joshua Bolten will interview Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. On Thursday, May 17, the Roundtable will host a panel discussion, The Cost of Inaction: A Conversation on U.S. Infrastructure." Moderated by NBC's Chuck Todd, the panel's participants include Chairman Jamie Dimon of the Business Roundtable; Brendan Bechtel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bechtel; Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; and Larry Willis, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO. The hourlong event begins at 9:30 a.m. at Business Roundtable. (RVSPs to [email protected].) Follow the week's activities on Twitter via the #TimeToBuild hashtag.
The 2018 Western Pathways Conference is uniquely focused on an issue central to the future of our economy and society: how can we build an education and workforce development system that will prepare ALL young adults for careers leading to economic independence? This will be an action oriented conference in which teams from the participating states will work together to develop plans for addressing such issues as the skills gap, strengthening connections between business and education, providing high-quality career development and career pathways, and much more. The Western Pathways Conference will attract national leaders from business, education, government and philanthropy to share knowledge, experience, ideas, and best practices.The Conference is organized and hosted by the Global Pathways Institute at Arizona State University in partnership with the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, Business-Higher Education Forum, Education Commission of the States, and the Colorado Business Roundtable.

Register Today
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  http://www.cobrt.com/radio-podcast 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!
05/17/18
Colorado Aerospace Investment Forum - Colorado Space Business Roundtable

05/30/18 - 06/01/18
Western Pathways Conference - Global Pathways Institute

06/04/18
Lunch with Congressman Lamborn - Strategic Resources Group

COBRT partnership opportunities are now available. 

Get noticed. 
Support policy efforts. 
Invest in Colorado.

Enjoy this week's newsletter? Have ideas that can improve the newsletter's coverage in the future? 



FOLLOW #COBRT

Colorado Business Roundtable, P.O. Box 5608, Denver, CO 80216
Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with
Constant Contact