2010
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 10-1035
       
       BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) DelGrosso, Acree, Apuan, Balmer,
       Baumgardner, Benefield, Bradford, Casso, Court, Curry,
       Ferrandino, Fischer, Frangas, Gagliardi, Gardner B., Gardner C.,
       Gerou, Hullinghorst, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr A., Kerr J., King S.,
       Labuda, Lambert, Levy, Liston, Looper, Massey, May, McCann,
       McFadyen, McKinley, McNulty, Merrifield, Middleton, Miklosi,
       Murray, Nikkel, Peniston, Pommer, Primavera, Priola, Rice,
       Riesberg, Ryden, Scanlan, Schafer S., Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper,
       Stephens, Summers, Swalm, Tipton, Todd, Tyler, Vaad, Vigil,
       Waller, Carroll T.;
       also SENATOR(S) Renfroe,.
       
     CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF COLORADO'S
               BUSINESS COMMUNITY. 
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado's economy depends greatly on its businesses
       and the top 11 key industry clusters in our state are agriculture, tourism,
       aerospace, bio-science, energy, financial services, information technology
       and software, air transportation, beverage production, broadcasting and
       telecommunications, and computer storage and peripherals, and the
       defense, construction, manufacturing, health care, insurance, forestry, and
       mining industries are also key players in our state's economy; and
       
          WHEREAS, Our state is home to more than 425,000 small businesses,
       including more than 135,000 woman-owned and 46,000 minority-owned
       businesses, that provide the economic foundation for its families and
       communities; and
       
          WHEREAS, Small businesses are a vital part of the nation's economy,
       as they represent the majority of employers and employ more than half of
       all private sector employees; and
       
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado appreciates its diverse array of large businesses
       that employ thousands of our citizens, including the Forbes Fortune 500
       top 13 largest businesses in Colorado in 2009:  Qwest Communications,
       DISH Network, Liberty Global, Liberty Media, First Data, Ball,
       Newmont Mining, ProLogis, CH2M Hill, Western Union, Molson Coors
       Brewing, Level 3 Communications, and Cimarex Energy; and
       
          WHEREAS, In 2009, our state's mining and logging industries
       employed 24,200 people; the construction industry employed 130,500
       people; the manufacturing sector employed 129,500 people; the trade,
       transportation, and utilities industry employed 403,300 people; the
       information technology sector employed 74,800 people; the financial
       services sector employed 147,100 people; business and professional
       services employed 329,600 people; educational and health services
       employed 257,400 people; and the leisure and hospitality industries
       employed 262,500 people and, altogether, Colorado businesses currently
       employ 2,448,800 citizens of this state; and
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado's agriculture industry, which is grouped in the
       United States Department of Agriculture's Mountain II region, had one of
       the biggest increases in the number of hired workers in the United States
       in 2009; and
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado's businesses are essential to a strong job
       market, and a thriving business community in our state creates a
       prosperous economy for all of Colorado's citizens; and
       
          WHEREAS, The tax contributions made by Colorado's businesses
       constitute a large share of our state's funding for our roads and bridges,
       education, safety net programs, and local government needs; and
       
          WHEREAS, Decisions made at the legislature often have an impact,
       either positive or negative, on our business climate and the ability of a
       business to operate, employ workers, and succeed; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-seventh
       General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:
       
          That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly:
       
          (1)  Appreciate all of Colorado's businesses, both large and small, that
       enrich our state by creating jobs for our citizens and contributing such a
       large share of tax revenue to our state, local governments, and school
       districts;
       
          (2)  Recognize that, especially in light of the current economic
       climate, the businesses in Colorado have been fantastic assets to our state
       and its citizens; and
       
          (3)  Resolve to be mindful of the impact our actions have on
       Colorado's business community.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
       the Honorable Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.; the members of Colorado's
       Congressional delegation; Jim Henderson, Regional Advocate of the U.S.
       Small Business Administration's Region 8; Dan Danner, President and
       CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business; and Tony
       Gagliardi, State Director of the National Federation of Independent
       Business.
       
       
       
       
       
       _________________________________________________________
       Terrance D. Carroll              Brandon C. Shaffer 
       SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE                    PRESIDENT OF
       OF REPRESENTATIVES                        THE SENATE
       
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Marilyn Eddins                         Karen Goldman
       CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE                SECRETARY OF
       OF REPRESENTATIVES                        THE SENATE