A monthly measure of economic conditions for small businesses in Colorado has slipped, although job growth has accelerated and financing costs remain low. The Vectra Bank Colorado Small Business Index (SBI) fell to 114.2 in November, down four-tenths from a revised 114.6 in October. With losses in six out of the last eight months, the […]
You might have read or heard that you need to replace about 80 percent of your preretirement income to maintain your standard of living in retirement. Although some research validates this guideline, consider that half of today’s retirees say their spending is higher or about the same as it was when they were working. The […]
The first in a series of public meetings officially kicks off the process of developing an updated city plan for the greater downtown area of Grand Junction. The Grand Junction Public Works and Planning Department has scheduled an initial open house for 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8 in the Whitman Building at 248 S. […]
Colorado ranks fifth in the latest version of an annual comparison of business climates in the 50 states. Colorado ranks among the top states in four out of six criteria used to compile the Forbes magazine list of best states for business and careers. Colorado fares worse, though, in terms of the cost of doing […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Women continue to earn less than men in Colorado, a gap that’s wider in the state than the nation, according to an analysis of wages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median weekly earnings of women who were full-time wage and salary workers was $719 in 2010. That figure is 77.7 percent of the […]
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, […]