Initiative seeks to curb employee misclassification

Colorado has joined in a growing federal initiative designed to curb the improper classification of employees as independent contractors. Ellen Golombek, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, and Nancy J. Leppink, a deputy administrator who leads the U.S. Labor Department wage and hour division signed a memorandum of understanding on employee […]

Mesa County estate sales end five-year downward trend

Phil Castle, The Business Times With a month still left to go in 2011, real estate sales in Mesa County already have exceeded 2010 to finally end a five-year downward trend. The dollar volume of sales continues to lag behind last year, however, as prices remain lower. Although sales of bank- and government-owned properties constitute nearly […]

Colorado tax amnesty effort nets $11 million and counting

A program offering Colorado businesses and individuals amnesty to pay delinquent taxes has collected more than $11 million. The Colorado Department of Revenue  estimates it could collect an additional $3 million by the time it finishes processing payments in January, topping the $10 million to $12 million in collections that had been predicted by the Colorado […]

Research: Hospitals add to economic well-being, too

Hospitals contributed nearly $19 billion to the Colorado economy and directly employed almost 72,000 people in 2010, according to the results of a study analyzing the health care sector in the state. “Hospitals are important to all aspects of health, whether we’re referring to the physical health of our family, friends and neighbors or the […]

Study details impediments to small business growth

Fully 72 percent of small business owners responding to a survey said they’d like to expand and add employees within the next five years, but various impediments stand in their way. Uncertainty and weak sales rank among the chief factors hindering small business growth. But politics and regulations also play a role, said William Dennis, […]

Economic outlook for 2012: slow, but steady, growth

Having experienced the full effects of the recession later than other areas of Colorado, Mesa County has been late in regaining ground lost during the downturn. But growth in wages and expanding energy exploration and production bode well for a slow, but steady, recovery in 2012, according to an annual economic forecast prepared at the […]

Express gives back

Craig Hall, The Business Times           When it comes to cheer and dance groups in the Colorado, and even across the nation, few, if any, can compare to the success of the Express All Stars. Directed by Tena Pruess, Express All Stars also strives to excel beyond the stage with its Express […]

Small business group polls Colorado members to determine lobbying positions

Phil Castle, The Business Times  The budget, unemployment benefits and labor laws likely will rank among the top issues for a small business advocacy organization lobbying at the Colorado Capitol during the upcoming legislative session. The answers to five questions posed to members of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in the state will help […]