Release: Impact of Election Changes on Small Business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2017

The Undoing of The Colorado Caucus

What It Means For Small Business

DENVER, COLORADO—"Changes in the way citizens get on the election ballot may be devastating to small business in Colorado," says long-time community activist John Wren. "Large businesses have lobbyists who represent their point of view, small businesses in Colorado have primarily communicated with their representatives through the Colorado Caucus process."

"Here’s one suggestion for turning this negative situation into a positive. Local libraries have an opportunity to get involved by holding workshops
that educate the public about these new changes in Colorado election procedures. 
"Meetings at libraries across the state could be an effective tool to bring communities together so they can stand behind issues and raise questions that guide better decision making amongst local elected officials. We are collecting information that can help local libraries have such meetings," said Wren.

Local business leader and lobbyist Corky Kyle says the passage of Proposition 107 and 108 has dismantled the Colorado Caucus to a point that it can no longer function the way it was originally designed. He says Denver business owners would be wise to pay attention.

“The Colorado Caucus was designed to bring people together to determine how prospective candidates would support the peoples’ ideas and views if elected,” said Kyle. 

He went on to say, the Colorado Caucus has been instrumental in giving people a chance to ascertain whether prospective running mates were pro-business, where they stood on issues, and whether they were likely to impose heavy, and sometimes punitive regulations once elected. 

Without a functional caucus, small businesses and the public-at-large will no longer have a public forum to meet with prospective candidates and discuss key issues prior to an election.  And that could eventually lead to legislative changes that cost more to the taxpayer. From rate hikes on license plate tags to increased sales tax, or stiff employee regulations, Kyle says, without a caucus, the public-at-large will be much less involved in the decision-making that precedes new legislation. 

"The big problem is this—the average person simply may not realize what they’ve lost," said Philip Perington, with Perington Associates, a Denver-based real estate management and development firm. "Regardless of your party affiliation, a strong caucus gives people a voice so they can unite and work together to solve problems locally." 

“The Caucus gives people a chance at grassroots involvement,” says Perington. “Getting rid of the caucus is incredibly un-American because neighbors should be able to get together in their neighborhoods and discuss proposed legislation.”

Perington went on to say that big business is terrified of the caucus because it brings people together to discuss issues—the kind a big business may not want people to know about or rally against. 

Mr. Kyle and Mr. Perington are available for interviews. 

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Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a Colorado not-for-profit corporation. It cooperates with all who work to strengthen the grassroots, the voice of the common person, in business and politics. John Wren, a long-time community activist, is its founder, President, and CEO. For more information or for a speaker at your next association, club, or chamber meeting contact Wren at (720)495-4949