It’s not our leadership; it’s our lack of leadership

“Compromise is the lack of leadership.” Like me, you might have heard that quote in some form or another over the years without knowing exactly to whom to attribute it. On the reverse side is another quote I detest with almost all of my being, “Politics is the art of compromise.” And the putting of […]

Increasing debt poses risk at national and local levels

Colorado sometimes draws national attention for its method of raising taxes. Under the Taxpayers Bill of Rights amendment to the state constitution approved in 1992, voters themselves are the only ones who can raise local or state taxes. Voters still have no direct say over federal income taxes. But many view TABOR as an amendment […]

Midterm election confirms it’s time to reverse policies to buoy economic growth

The midterm elections offered an historic statement on where public policy and the economy had gone in the previous two-plus years: that is, in the wrong direction. The faulty economics of increased taxes, more regulation, so-called government-led “stimulus,” unprecedented explosions in government spending and debt and a massive government intrusion into the health care marketplace […]

Some reasons to be thankful during the holiday season

Happy days have yet to return in earnest to the Grand Valley. Yet, there’s a sense that if conditions aren’t getting substantially better, they’re not getting significantly worse, either. So in joining in an attitude of gratitude for the holiday season, here are a few things for which business owners and managers can remain thankful: […]

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay, wastin’ time

These are not only the lyrics to a classic song by Otis Redding, they’re also the new job description for park rangers at Highline State Park. And this is not news to my fellow Craig — Meis that is, who brought to light the crime wave sweeping our Colorado lakes and rivers: 14-year old Hell’s […]

2010 election results mixed

Voters made some big decisions in the mid-term elections. But those decisions weren’t limited to Congress, governors or state and local lawmakers. The people also weighed in directly through ballot questions. So, what were some key outcomes in these instances of direct democracy? The big news from a small business perspective was that voters in […]

Craig Hall Column

It had to happen sooner or later, as all members of the media have to deal with at some point. And in our first case, it comes from an unusual entity, one that we’ve been supportive of and have run literally hundreds of stories for over the years. The Business Times has been accused of […]

A world-class education and the chamber forum

The Grand Valley Business Times has found no one questioning the good intentions of the efforts of the Grand Junction Forum, a group of 12 community leaders charged by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce to examine ways to improve the local economy. A series of meetings over about three years produced the 500 […]

Why can’t Johnny read?

You might recognize the play on words from the old school fix-up initiative: “Why Johnny Can’t Read.” I have my own opinions as to why Johnny can’t, but that’s a subject for another column. For the purposes of this column, the little Johnny in question is our Johnny, as in Salazar. Although I must admit […]