After the most recent Economic and Revenue Forecast was released, I blogged that anyone running for office in this environment must be certifiably insane. While the task is still daunting, something arrived in my in-box yesterday that has me fired up and filled with hope again. Being part of a team, lead by Hickenlooper, is an exciting prospect.
Hickenlooper released a white paper titled Economic Development Solutions for Colorado, On the Road to Making Colorado Synonymous with Innovation. Only an economic developer or policy wonk could get excited reading a white paper, but this one is exactly what Colorado needs.
Economic developers insist that entrepreneurs have a good business plan. Campaign managers insist that candidates have a good campaign plan. Hickenlooper’s business background is showing when he delivers the same kind of plan for the state of Colorado.
He talks about “branding.” The brand he wants for Colorado is an attractive place to visit, and a place where entrepreneurs and small businesses find the support they need to be successful competing in a global marketplace.
He talks about building on what we know best. Colorado is already an innovation leader in Aerospace, energy, biosciences, agriculture, information technology communications and tourism. His road-map to success is designed to make these key sectors thrive, by making the government agencies already in place more responsive to their needs.
He talks about making government programs focus on the entire lifecycle of a small business from creation, capital development and counseling to incentive programs and procurement assistance. He talks about consolidating existing programs to make them easier to access and more understandable for entrepreneurs.
Maybe I’m so excited because he is talking about the same things I’ve been blogging and thinking about:
· Making sure that small businesses have access to credit and capital. (He needs to talk to me about New Markets Tax Credits, and forming a statewide Certified Development Entity!)
· Streamlining state services so that government is more efficient, thus more effective and less expensive to run.
· Partnering with non-profit organizations like CDFIs to bolster the Colorado Main Street program.
· Helping community banks access lending capital through programs like the Colorado Credit Reserve Program.
Homework
Hickenlooper's Road Map For Colorado
Colorado Main Street Program
Colorado Credit Reserve Program
New Markets Tax Credits
Hickenlooper released a white paper titled Economic Development Solutions for Colorado, On the Road to Making Colorado Synonymous with Innovation. Only an economic developer or policy wonk could get excited reading a white paper, but this one is exactly what Colorado needs.
Economic developers insist that entrepreneurs have a good business plan. Campaign managers insist that candidates have a good campaign plan. Hickenlooper’s business background is showing when he delivers the same kind of plan for the state of Colorado.
He talks about “branding.” The brand he wants for Colorado is an attractive place to visit, and a place where entrepreneurs and small businesses find the support they need to be successful competing in a global marketplace.
He talks about building on what we know best. Colorado is already an innovation leader in Aerospace, energy, biosciences, agriculture, information technology communications and tourism. His road-map to success is designed to make these key sectors thrive, by making the government agencies already in place more responsive to their needs.
He talks about making government programs focus on the entire lifecycle of a small business from creation, capital development and counseling to incentive programs and procurement assistance. He talks about consolidating existing programs to make them easier to access and more understandable for entrepreneurs.
Maybe I’m so excited because he is talking about the same things I’ve been blogging and thinking about:
· Making sure that small businesses have access to credit and capital. (He needs to talk to me about New Markets Tax Credits, and forming a statewide Certified Development Entity!)
· Streamlining state services so that government is more efficient, thus more effective and less expensive to run.
· Partnering with non-profit organizations like CDFIs to bolster the Colorado Main Street program.
· Helping community banks access lending capital through programs like the Colorado Credit Reserve Program.
Homework
Hickenlooper's Road Map For Colorado
Colorado Main Street Program
Colorado Credit Reserve Program
New Markets Tax Credits
RSS Feed