Recent Articles from Bart Taylor
Hick’s misstep @ OED
Several months into his term as governor, John Hickenlooper has been universally praised, it seems, for his focus on business and economic development. But one business-related issue continued to crop up in conversations I’ve had with business leaders: Where’s his new economic development chief? Very few people I know had met Dwayne Romero or had […]
From the Publisher
Spend time with a group of Colorado water lawyers, planners or officials, and you’re reminded how impenetrable and opaque water policy can be. At times, the ambiguity seems intentional, as if those who control our water future would prefer we know as little as possible about “prior appropriation” or “beneficial use.” Perhaps the thinking is […]
Hick’s wise water pick
Governor-elect John Hickenlooper has critics and supporters alike chirping about his cabinet picks, but appointing Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp to the position of Special Policy Advisor on Water to the Governor should have bipartisan support. Water is the preeminent economic development challenge in Colorado and the West. It’s commendable the new administration acknowledges t[...]
Colorado’s on the frontlines of a fuel turf war
At a presentation before independent natural gas producers in Denver earlier this month, Susan Arigoni, Executive VP Fuels at Xcel Energy, suggested Colorado is on the front lines in a growing turf war over which fuel – coal or natural gas – will become the preferred base-load source for utilities and power providers in the […]
Corey Pavin’s rough Ryder Cup start
I’m a golf fan, and have always liked Corey Pavin. He’s been easy to root for. He’s a pro golfer to whom the casual golfer can relate. He’s small, his swing is quirky, he hits the ball about as far as the rest of us, and aside from his unnerving resemblance to Howie Mandel, he’s […]
McInnis’ sleight of hand
The next few days will determine whether Scott McInnis’ sloppy scholarship rises to the level of a hanging offense. Reading some of the material in question is a bit troubling, admittedly. But legitimate points are being made about the nature of the project and the standard to which the material and its author should be […]
The economics of immigration reform
Immigration reform is an economic issue: immigrants are drawn to the United States in pursuit of jobs, of financial opportunity – a piece of the American dream. In turn, our economy relies heavily on immigrant labor – documented and not. Business should therefore be at the forefront of reform efforts, protecting their interests. But can […]
Turning up the heat on immigration
Gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis is on to something. Forget the nuanced arguments, the hand-wringing over what hasn’t been done, who’s to blame, or how one might ‘understand’ both side of the debate relating to Arizona’s new immigration law. The litmus test is straightforward, particularly for those of us in the business community: Will you favor […]
Cap-and-trade needs a fresh approach
The White House must be an uncomfortable place to be these days. And things will likely get worse for President Obama’s team before they get better. After Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address, I’m guessing that both left and right are generally dissatisfied with the substance of the president’s message and agenda. With health-care […]
On major issues, Ritter’s record is mixed
We might learn more in the coming days about the reasons behind Gov. Bill Ritter’s decision not to seek a second term. As ill-suited for the role as Ritter has often appeared, his chances to win again were good. And unless this story takes an ugly turn, Ritter remains a man of high character — and for […]
Women in Power
With renewable energy at the top of the agenda, Denver law firm Patton Boggs LLP hosted the 6th annual Women in Power forum last week at its Washington, D.C. offices. More than 100 women representing various public and private energy-related entities attended. Colorado’s delegation included Carol Tombari, manager of stakeholder relations at the U.S. Department […]