WRITE OF CENTER
According to Business Facilities’ 19th Annual Rankings Report, Texas has the best business climate in the nation.
Texas’ relentless growth, robust economy, industry diversity, strong job numbers and ideal regulatory and tax environment have made it a top destination for companies and the best business climate.
An added honor is that for the 13th year in a row, Texas earned the Governor’s Cup awarded by Site Selection Magazine for leading the U.S. in job-creating relocation and expansion efforts.
Texas offers a combination of advantages that support business startups and entrepreneurs, including no personal or corporate income tax, a predictable and sensible regulatory environment, significant investments in workforce development and infrastructure, and a strategic location with access to national and global markets.
“When businesses succeed, Texas succeeds,” Gov. Greg Abbott recently said. “We added more jobs last year than any other state and have exceeded that for three years in a row. Texas truly is the land of economic freedom that stokes self determination to achieve things once thought impossible.”
By succeeding economically and investing in its workforce, Texas offers upward mobility and opportunity to all economic classes that is the foundation of the “American Dream.”
Undoubtedly, we’ve all heard of the economic stagnation and deterioration of Illinois, New York and California that have all seen an exodus of residents to states offering better opportunities.
It’s vital that our beloved Texas doesn’t create policy mistakes of excessive spending and stifling regulations that those states have made for decades.
Joining the list of failing states appears to be Colorado. Back in 2004, a quartet of wealthy liberals hatched a plan to turn Colorado blue. It became known as the “Colorado Model” whereby a once competitive state politically transitioned into one dominated by “progressive” thinking.
By investing millions of dollars into local races that were ostensibly non-partisan, Democrats built a bench for future statewide leaders. Since 2007 they’ve had Democrat governors and by 2010 they captured both chambers of the state Legislature.
This gave them the opportunity to enact liberal policies including restrictions on the once-booming oil and gas industry and legalizing marijuana.
According to Jon Caldera, president of the Independence Institute, a Denver-based conservative think tank, “People said, this is Colorado, that can’t happen here – this is an individualistic state, this is a pro-gun, pro-individual, lowtax kind of state. Colorado’s economy has been so strong, we’ve been able to absorb a lot of these bad policies, but they are coming home to roost.”
Caldera added, “ People have been losing their oil and gas jobs, rents are ridiculously high because of growth controls, home prices are untouchable here. We’re not putting money into roads that are being choked off, so quality of life is diminished.”
It appears that the only folks who can enjoy the beauty of Colorado are the affluent white liberals who engineered the state’s political transformation.
According to an article in the Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado has seen a dramatic decline in economic growth. Long ranked among the top five states for economic performance, Colorado dropped to the bottom 10 by 2024. Personal income growth fell from third in the nation to 39th between 2018-2024.
Colorado ranks among the five least affordable states for housing and ranks as the sixth most regulated state in the nation, corresponding with slower business growth and innovation.
Beginning with Senate Bill 181 passed in 2019, Colorado has obstructed energy production at the expense of the state’s economy and high-wage blue-collar jobs.
The misery doesn’t end there; Colorado had the nation’s second highest unemployment rate in April 2024 as compared to 2017, when it had the nation’s second lowest rate. The annual job growth rate is less than one-sixth the national rate, or 43rd of 50 states.
Crime has skyrocketed, with an average monthly crime rate that is almost 30% higher than the national average.
Colorado is a wonderful state to visit; it has many great qualities. Yet if our concern is strong future opportunities for our children and families, Texas offers a much better model.
Let’s not allow the “Colorado Model” to infiltrate our state. We must remain a mecca for freedom-loving, entrepreneurial job creators. If you’re interested in joining our movement, check in at https://texasgop.org/.
Rich Sena is a Kendall County Republican.
Comment
Comments