Kelly Brough, president and CEO of
the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Thanks for coming on the business brief.
Thanks for having us.
Kelly, now the Chamber's goal,
is to ensure that Colorado is and
remains the best place to do business.
That's a job that never stops.
We're kind of stumbling through
this once in 100 year pandemic.
Many businesses are
pressed like never before.
With government restrictions and frankly.
Low consumer confidence,
but there are increasingly
signs that the recovery.
Maybe it's early days and that
2021 may in fact be a better year.
During the recent business letters,
let's say to preview that
you all have Denver Chamber,
you call this a moment of opportunity.
How so?
Yeah,
I really appreciate the question, Ryan.
I think you have to go back to the last
10 years to understand what's happened
in our region in the last 10 years.
We the last five we've been identified as
the number one economy in the nation by
US news and World Report in the last 10.
What has been Brookings Institute?
Did this study and what they found
is we're the only large Metro of
the 100 largest metros in the United
States who has been able to close.
Some of the racial disparities we
see specifically around earnings and
employment while at the same time
improving the standard of living
an wages throughout our region.
So as we put people back to work,
and there's 300 and 22,000 Coloradans
on unemployment right now,
as we put people back to work,
we want to build off that path.
Past success to close the racial and
gender disparities we see and to get
people back into really good jobs.
I love it now during your business
business legislative preview.
Both states, Senate and House Democrats
and Republicans have both stated a
focus on recovery as their top priority.
So you all represent an RA voice
for Colorado's business community.
What is the top legislative issue
for the business community this year?
Yeah Ryan, this is really.
If we learned anything in the pandemic,
what we should have all learned?
If it hurts an employer,
then you know that means they can't
keep employees on payroll and it's
and it's hurting employees and so
we have got to think about what
are policies that help or don't
add to the burden of employers and
that is top priority for everybody
because getting people back to work
means don't add to those costs.
And in some of our industries
they were decimated.
They do not have resources and the
last thing I'll mention here is a
huge percentage over half of our
workforce works for companies that are.
Very small,
so small employers are particularly
impacted by those kind of policies we
really need to make sure we're not
adding to the burden for employers
to keep employees on payroll or
bring him back into payroll.
A big part of that is having a
legislature and it works together
that works with the governors
Office that works with the business
community and actually get stuff done.
We're living through some
tremendously divisive times.
Kelly, so how do they do that?
Yeah, yeah. Working together is key.
What we would argue is you really need
to bring in those who are impacted
by any policy you're considering so
you can understand the consequences.
Often they may not be intended by you,
but there's consequences to those policies.
So I think the way to do it is
whether you're Republican or Democrat.
You're talking to each other.
You're talking to the private
sector nonprofit sector.
These are employers who are
impacted by those policies.
Bring 'em in early and give us a
chance to share with you their impact.
Don't do things in a vacuum.
So have those conversations that
are needed to really understand
the issues and how we can move
forward in a truly nonpartisan if.
If you will wait to actually
get things done that works for
hopefully most people, absolutely.
You know there's going to be, I think,
due to the economy down economy.
A lot of shortfalls in funding and
needs for additional money to fund
various priorities and services
that the state is responsible for.
What's the business community's
message on taxes?
Especially during this recovery?
Yeah, I
mean, whether you're in
employer or an employee.
We know people don't have a lot of
extra resources hanging around,
and so you know not asking employers and
their employees to pay more right now is.
Key, and so we really are asking.
Don't make policy changes that result in
people having to pay more because our fear
is it will simply result in more job loss.
We've had huge numbers of Coloradans
have to file for unemployment in 2020.
We do not want to repeat and as I mentioned,
we have hundreds,
300 and 22,000 today who still need jobs.
We need to get him back to work
and frankly that'll increase
tax revenue for everybody.
Putting him back to work more effectively.
We believe then trying to nickel
and dime dime all everybody through
such a challenging time.
I couldn't agree more with so many
Coloradans looking for a better
job and so many small businesses
working to keep their doors open.
We do need a legislature that works
together with our business community.
Kelly Brough with the Denver Metro
Chamber of Commerce. Thank you.
Wishing you the team and your
members the very best in the year
ahead. OK, thank you Ryan.
2021 has to be better.