Most eyes have been on the Senate this week, where the annual state budget is being debated. However, there were several important budget bills in the House this week as well. Two proposals in particular could have a disastrous impact on Colorado Springs businesses and the Colorado economy.
House Bill 1200 would limit the tax benefits that businesses in enterprise zones receive and House Bill 1396 would essentially eliminate the enterprise zone program altogether.
The Enterprise Zone program encourages development by using tax incentives to attract investment, create jobs and stimulate economic growth. The program isn’t perfect, but every local government in the state that uses it can tell you it’s a valuable economic development tool. More than half of El Paso County is located in an enterprise zone and it has proven to be a great way to attract jobs to the Colorado Springs area.
Another enterprise zone bill, Senate Bill 162, takes a much smarter approach and as a result has not been met with the same fierce opposition from the business community. This bill makes the program more accountable and modifies the boundary of zones to make them more effective.
We can be smart and efficient in government without doing harm to our economy and job environment. I only wish more of my colleagues at the statehouse understood that reality.
By Representative Larry G. Liston
House District 16
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What is the status of SB 162 and is there any opportunity for bi partisan support. If this bill really does take a "do no harm" approach, but improve the enterprize zone process, there should be tremendus support for it from both parties. If not, I think it sheds light on what the real agenda is.
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