FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tony Gagliardi, Colorado State Director, 303-325-6243, Tony.Gagliardi@nfib.org
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, 415-640-5156, Anthony.Malandra@nfib.org

DENVER, Jan. 11, 2024— From Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), on Gov. Jared Polis’s State-of-the-State speech this morning in Denver. “While briefly mentioning the needs of employers for employees with trained skills, the governor failed to mention any regulatory relief allowing for business owners to free up capital to hire additional workers. The governor wasn’t shy about announcing his favor for more government-run apprenticeship programs, which can be interpreted as more forced union membership for Colorado job-seekers. Governor Polis went on to emphasize support in mass transit and massive investment in railroads to nowhere to solve Colorado’s travel needs. NFIB Colorado does compliment the governor on his recognition that the state’s income tax rate is too high. However, we cannot condone his suggestion that TABOR refunds should be used to lower property taxes, providing proof the real goal of Proposition HH was to begin the elimination of the TABOR amendment.”

NFIB’s membership spans the spectrum of business operations, ranging from sole proprietor enterprises to firms with hundreds of employees. While there is no standard definition of a “small business,” the typical NFIB member employs 10 people and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year. The NFIB membership is a reflection of American small business.

Keep up with the latest Colorado small-business news at www.nfib.com/CO and on Twitter @NFIB_CO

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For 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.  NFIB Colorado
1700 Lincoln St.
17th Floor
Denver, CO 80203
303-831-6099
NFIB.com/CO
Twitter: @NFIB_CO