http://www.nfib.com/Keep up with the latest news, politics and events for small business in Colorado.en-usEM3 iOnwebmaster@nfib.orghttp://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37121.htmlInitiative 93 would require employers to provide a "safe and healthy" workplace for employees. And Initiative 96 would require employers to provide annual cost-of-living wage and salary increases to all employees.Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37066.htmlThe National Federation of Independent Business/Colorado, the state's leading small business association, is joining Coloradans for Responsible Reform in an effort to combat the impending flood of ballot initiatives.Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36944.htmlIt's a first for Colorado and a second for Gail Lindley, as America's leading small business association, the National Federation of Independent Business, and Solveras, one of the nation's leading payment processing companies for small businesses, has named Lindley the Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion of the Year. It is the first time Solveras and NFIB named the same person twice, and it's Lindley's second time to be given the award. She is owner of the Denver Bookbinding Company.Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36819.htmlYour NFIB/Colorado office is keeping busy tracking several pieces of legislation -- some good, some bad -- for small business owners and their employees. As of April 3, 664 bills have been introduced. NFIB/Colorado is currently involved with 75 bills. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36608.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on healthcare and activism in Colorado, April/May 2008 edition.Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36586.htmlWith the Colorado General Assembly session over half completed, activity is reaching a heightened sense of uncertainty. Currently NFIB/Colorado is either monitoring or actively lobbying in excess of 60 pieces of legislation. While there still seems to be a great deal of conversation concerning healthcare reform, little proactive ideas have been slow in coming. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36476.htmlNFIB/Colorado Opposes SB 164. SB 164 raises the non-economic damages caps and creates a new category of damages for disfigurement. SB 164 will increase the cost of healthcare putting even more of a burden on Colorado's healthcare industry and small businesses.Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36017.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on OSHA rules, elections and getting involved in Colorado, February/March 2008 edition.Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36049.html"On behalf of the thousands of small-business members of NFIB/Colorado, we would like to commend the 208 Commission for its hundreds of volunteer hours spent examining the current state of health care coverage in Colorado."Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36032.html"Small businesses are the drivers of our state's economy, accounting for more than 97 percent of all employers in Colorado. Small business also creates about two-thirds of all net new jobs. It's vital that we have a thriving small-business community for our state and the nation to continue to grow and prosper."Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35894.htmlRegister today for the 2008 NFIB National Small-Business Summit! NFIB and eBay have joined forces to create an event you won't want to miss. At the Summit, you'll interact with policymakers, business leaders and fellow entrepreneurs while sharing your experiences and finding new ideas to boost your business. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36130.htmlThe Colorado State Legislature enters its third week of a 120-day session. Already battles are heating up over issues such as right to work and the raising of certain limitations in Colorado's tort reform laws, in addition to the mandatory use of a government data by employers to check employment eligibility. As of this writing, there have been 324 bills introduced. The Colorado General Assembly is comprised of 40 Democrats and 25 Republicans in the House, and 20 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35787.html"We commend Governor Ritter for the comprehensive and ambitious vision he outlined in his State of the State speech. Colorado small-business owners particularly support his call to raise the ceiling on the business personal property tax to $7,000 from it current $2,500 and would encourage him to look at eliminating this albatross around the necks 30,000 mom-and-pop firms altogether at some point in the future. In the meantime, we'll take what we can get."Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35706.htmlComing right on the heels of last month's National Federation of Independent Business survey showing its Small Business Optimism Index down to the lowest level since 1993, results from a poll of NFIB-member, Colorado small-business owners released today seem to mirror the slowly simmering anxiety about what 2008 may bring.Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35516.htmlOn Dec. 7 at a meeting of the NFIB/Colorado Leadership Council, the new 2008 LC officers were elected. The new LC chairperson is Mark Hamouz. Taking over the duties of vice chair will be Gail Lindley and retaining his position as the NFIB/Colorado PAC chair is Jim Noon.Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35371.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on health care, taxes and transportation, December/January 2008 edition.Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35339.htmlColorado has some enormous challenges in front of her. Affordable health care, crumbling transportation infrastructure and maintaining a skilled workforce are but a few. These challenges cannot be met if business, labor and elected officials cannot work together.Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35323.htmlThe voting season has started for Colorado members of America's leading small-business advocacy group, the National Federation of Independent Business.Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35257.htmlFrom Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, America's leading small-business advocacy organization, on Gov. Bill Ritter's signing of an executive order allowing collective bargaining for state employees.Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35172.htmlThe U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy has compiled the 2007 Small Business Profile for Colorado.Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35127.htmlDespite ill-informed rhetoric that often cites the federal death tax as only affecting wealthy people, this tax affects all Americans, and it strikes no one harder than the small-business community.Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35070.htmlWhen Gail Lindley's grandmother and mother took over the Denver Bookbinding Company after the death of her grandfather in 1972, the purchasing agent for the University of Colorado at Boulder huffed that "a female-owned business would never make it" and promptly yanked the school's contract from them.Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34839.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on health care and activism, October/November 2007 edition.Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34798.htmlThe Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform (also called the 208 Commission) has announced its October round of hearings, its third in a series aimed at getting public input on small businesses' No. 1 concern for the past 20 years.Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34628.htmlThe U.S. Small-Business Administration is looking to collect as many examples as possible, so it can lean on the federal bureacracy to abide by its legally mandated order to reduce regulations. NFIB/Colorado members are encouraged to read more about how they can send information for this very worthwhile project.Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34592.htmlIn October, the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform will solicit public input on its recommendations at community meetings in each congressional district. Dates, times and locations of those meetings will be posted at www.colorado.gov/208commission.Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34191.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on health care, education and activism, August/September 2007 edition.Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33842.htmlFri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33813.htmlIn most states, the 2007 legislative session was a mix of bills both helpful and harmful to small business. NFIB worked alongside lawmakers to ensure legislation passed would take into consideration the impact on the country's No. 1 job creators, and while we saw many victories, there is much left to be done next session as well. Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST