In Colorado Politics’ Fiscal Rockies series, Hap Fry reports that national site selectors praise Colorado’s diverse, highly educated workforce but flag our regulatory climate, slow permitting, and middling incentives as deal killers when companies make final location choices. The piece features Metro Denver EDC’s Raymond H. Gonzales and consultants Michael Falleroni and Larry Gigerich.
The article lays out a blunt scorecard: Colorado lands on many short lists because of talent and quality of life, then loses out when projects demand speed to market, clear rules, and monetizable incentives. A Colorado Chamber analysis cited in the story ranks the state as one of the nation’s most regulated, with a surge in rules since 2020 and dozens of corporate relocations heading elsewhere.
The Bullet Point Brief
- A+ people, C− process. Site selectors say our talent is a huge homerun, but policy headwinds keep us from sealing the deal. The brainpower is here. The green light is not.
- Permits take too long. Timelines have stretched to 12–18 months, while places like North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and Florida move in a fraction of the time. Speed wins.
- Most regulated club. A chamber report pegs Colorado among the most regulated states, with roughly 200,000 rules and 45 percent flagged as excessive or duplicative.
- Companies leaving. Since 2019, 73 companies have exited, taking more than 11,600 jobs; 21 relocations or lost opportunities hit in 2024 alone. That is not a rounding error.
- Weak incentives. Colorado’s packages are less “monetizable” than competitors. Chief Executive ranks us 33rd while Texas, Utah, and Arizona sit in the top 10.
My Bottom Line
More from the outstanding Fiscal Rockies series, and it should set hair on fire under the Gold Dome. Our workforce is ready to go. It is the red tape that spooks off businesses. Have you had enough of Democrat control yet?
This is what happens when lawmakers flirt with socialism by regulation. They keep layering rules and congratulating themselves, while site selectors quietly move projects to states that say yes faster. The result is simple: fewer paychecks, fewer opportunities, and higher costs for families who stay.
The fix is not a new task force. Cut the timelines. Slash duplicative rules. Give local governments room to say yes. Make incentives clear and monetizable or get out of that game altogether. Stop chasing headlines with one-size-fits-all mandates and let the free market do the building, hiring, and thriving.
Colorado wins when common sense does. Our people are the selling point. Government should stop being the stopping point.
Source: Colorado Politics
