Colorado's Regulatory Burden Hurts Economic Growth and a Call to Read Carefully and Skeptically.
If you were thinking of starting a business and investigating costs, would you choose Colorado?
The two (relatively) recent articles below illustrate a pattern in our state: increasing costs to do business and more likely to come.
Let's talk about the "now" first. A recent Colorado Sun employment column (linked first below) discussed three new expenses employers will face this year. All screengrabs are from the article.
Screenshot #1 shows the effect of the new FAMLI leave deduction on employers (don't worry, you get to pay some too!)
Screenshot #2 shows the new minimum wages and where Colorado and Denver sit relative to the nation.
Screenshot #3 shows the increase in unemployment insurance premiums employers must pay. Take note: the reason behind the increase, and the increase itself are a little complex. I tried to note that by including some of the text here, but for a fuller understanding, you should check the relevant part in the article and/or my earlier posts on the topic of increasing premiums.
Now let's look at what could possibly (likely?) come soon. The Center Square article below details a new survey that asked small business owners what they thought regarding new taxes/fees to help pay for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure (charging stations, etc).
I'll save you a minute's reading and tell you they're against such a policy, preferring instead that the EV industry bear the costs (I personally would prefer that EV owners share some too--let him that benefits, pay).
You know that sooner or later some fee somewhere is likely to come for this sort of thing, however, and I don't see how business can avoid getting bit (just as plain, ordinary taxpayers will too).
As I've written before, this does not spell an immediate disaster for this state. Look at California. They have horrible business policy, but they still have businesses there. Big corporations in particular tend to weather things like this okay.
What I think this means, instead, is a loss of growth: less industry moving here, less expansion of existing business here, fewer new businesses here.
Look again at how those graphs of expense point up. Think about the new fees and complications brought on by FAMLI. Think about the potential for taxes, fees, assessments to pay for the green dreams of the Progressives in this state. And then think about how much less burden other, nearby states or other states with similar populations put on business.
If you were thinking about moving here would you?
Would you take on new employees to try and expand?
https://coloradosun.com/2022/12/31/new-labor-laws-employment-colorado/
https://www.thecentersquare.com/colorado/survey-colorado-small-business-owners-against-increased-taxes-fees-for-ev-infrastructure/article_ccb0c7c4-87cf-11ed-8b51-57d28e510dca.html
A call to be skeptical and read carefully.
Unless you've lived under a rock lately, my guess is that you've probably heard something about the Feds banning gas stoves. The link I got from a reader is first below.
This was followed up with another bunch of articles (see the second one linked below for an example) that said the Feds are now NOT going to ban them.
In the meantime, social media lit up like a rocket on the topic.
As a fan of both cooking on gas stoves (though I don't yet have one--maybe redo the kitchen at some point) and the freedom to choose, my guess is that you know where I stand. If you have strong feelings about the topic, please feel free to add them to the comments below.
What I want to note below are some quick thoughts about the issue itself, as opposed to whether or not there should or shouldn't be a ban. You can find all you want about that topic in a number of places and I'll leave you to it.
1. When you read things like this, you should look at what agency is involved and then ask the question: what is this agency and what authority or power over this topic do they have? I'm not saying this is the case here, but sometimes the only thing the agency has control over is whether or not to recommend a particular policy. Sometimes they just study and write reports. Sometimes (particularly with Biden at the helm), they'll use some "emergency power" to take a policy action they might not be able to otherwise.
2. Second, you should ask yourself what sparked the concern. Critically evaluate what you read as the impetus for the change. Who is behind it? What conclusions did they draw? Is this one source or multiple sources?
I think there's been a large failing about these points (as you might expect for things that get enmeshed in the culture war machine) in the latest furor over gas stoves.
As an example from #1 above, I don't know much about the group, but they have the power to ban future sales not come into your home and take your stove. One could (quite reasonably) argue that banning the appliances from here forward is a "taking" of sorts--it does match the strategy I see from lots of Progressives where they won't steal your things, they'll narrow your choices until you comply--but it's not direct taking.
As an example from #2 above, about all you get in any articles on this topic is some version of "studies show that gas stoves emit chemicals and cause asthma in children." Put claims like that through the baloney detector I've written about. Go look at the research. Go look for contrary opinions on the matter. I linked to a Twitter thread given me by a reader third below.
I am not vouching for every point this gentleman makes (and my guess is he works in some way for the industry and thus has an interest in the matter), but what I want to highlight are the questions he raises on the topic and the links he provides to other relevant research that tends to contradict the claims you see in articles.
The claim of danger and asthma made by the press and the advocates wanting to ban stoves are not as ironclad as you might believe just reading what you see in mainstream media articles. Reasonable questions can be asked as to the validity of the claim you hear in the press. See attached screengrabs.
Read carefully. When you see something titillating on social media, put it aside for at least 24 hours. Revisit it and do some Googling to see other opinions on the matter. Look for contrary voices even when (ESPECIALLY WHEN) it's something you're liable to agree with.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/us-safety-agency-to-consider-ban-on-gas-stoves-amid-health-fears
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/1/11/23551038/gas-stove-asthma-ban-experts-speak
