Byline: John Rebchook, Rocky Mountain News and Joyzelle Davis,
Rocky Mountain News and Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News and Gargi
Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News and Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News
and Roger Fillion, Rocky Mountain News and Joanne Kelley, Rocky
Mountain News
Executives and officials from a variety of sectors in Colorado's business community weigh in on what they want to see - and what they don't - from President-elect Barack Obama's administration.
Pat Hamill President and CEO, Oakwood Homes
'What we need in this country is an economic stimulus plan that focuses on housing. We need lower interest rates. We need to figure out a way that the government can supply 3.9 percent, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loans. And we need a tax credit and economic assistance with down payments, which would stabilize the existing housing stock. That would help and go a long way to stabilize the existing housing values.'
What he doesn't want to see: 'I think we're always concerned about
over-regulations.'
Bill Tresham Chief operating officer,
Chicago-based Callahan Partners
'We need to see the Obama administration focus on the loosening up of credit. More than anything else, the banks have to be prodded, cajoled, ordered or forced to lend money on reasonable terms to good businesses. What is happening now is that the banks are taking the money off the table and raising the cost of money. Obama should use every tool available to him from technical methods to moral suasion.
I don't want to see him to go too far to socialize America. Things like health care are definitely worth looking at.'
Lee Goodfriend Co-owner, Racines and Dixons restaurants
'The first thing I would like to see is some help with health care so we can get our employees some coverage without it being unaffordable. I'm concerned it would be too expensive, upward of $1 million a year. But I feel like we should have health insurance, and Obama could come up with a plan where we put in some and the employees put in some and taxes put in some.
'I don't want to see health insurance continue to be so expensive that if they mandate us doing it, small businesses can't afford it.'
Ed Mueller Chairman and CEO, Qwest Communications
'We at Qwest look forward to the new administration addressing the economic challenges - and opportunities - in this country, quickly and decisively.'
Keith Rattie Chairman, president and CEO,
Questar Corp.
'(On Tuesday) voters decided to turn over the economy to the trio - Barry (Barack Obama), Harry (Reid) and Nancy Pelosi. Clearly 2009 will be a tough year for energy producers,' Rattie said, speaking at the annual luncheon of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association. 'COGA needs a big plan for this year. We need to reach out to Democrats and differentiate natural gas from oil, gasoline and coal. Natural gas is a bargain, it's abundant and is the American part of the (energy) solution.'
Bill Lindsay President, Lockton Benefit Group
'My orientation is obviously health care, but more important than health care right now is going to be how the president handles the economic situation, not only the implementation of the current bailout, but the Big 3 automakers are all hurting. It's a significant indication that other industries are going to be caught up in this bailout, and how far can we as a country go protecting businesses rather than letting nature take its course?'
Brian Barish President and director of research,
Cambiar Investors mutual fund firm
'My business is investing, and for people to invest confidently they need to have confidence about the future and the long-term outlook. Social Security and Medicare also have to be reformed. If Obama can set these programs up in such a way that they are fiscally sound and not ticking time bombs, that will immensely improve the long-term attractiveness of the financial markets.'
'It would be a terrible mistake to move toward more protectionist trade policies. At the same time, though, we need to negotiate a little harder with some of our trading partners.'
Wendy Mitchell CEO, Aurora Economic Development Council
'We'd like the Obama administration to invest in industries that will contribute to the growth of Colorado's economy: aerospace and defense, the National Institutes of Health (bioscience) and renewable energy.
Since there's likely to be a second economic stimulus package, we'd like the package to include transportation infrastructure funding.'
What she doesn't want to see: 'Any new taxes on business that could hinder economic recovery.'
Dan Pilcher Senior vice president, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry
The statewide chamber, which supported a statewide anti-union amendment that failed, ranks federal labor legislation as its top concern. 'The question is how hard will organized labor push? It's fair to say the business community is concerned.'
Mac Slingerlend CEO, Ciber Inc.
Do:
1. Kill earmarks.
2. Give money to states to help them spend in 2009.
3. Put money into public works (bridges, etc.) to create jobs.
4. Get the $700 billion bailout money spent and working.
5. Keep government 'smaller' and private sector 'larger.'
Don't:
1. Start national health care.
2. Raise taxes.
3. Reduce tax rates on anyone, except corporations.
4. Bail out the auto industry, without allowing bankruptcies that would kill current labor and auto dealership contracts.
5. Pass new Sarbanes-Oxley-like accounting laws.
Rob Katz CEO, Vail Resorts Inc.
A priority for the resort operator: immigration reform that deals with everything from 'the folks that are already here to visas' for guest workers.
But to start out, Katz said he hopes for the same thing as other businesses: an administration that will put the economy back on the right path.
'I think we're expecting some calming by having a single voice now with a new direction.'
Mike Boyd President, Boyd Group International aviation consulting firm
Boyd wants a new plan to fix the nation's air traffic control system and a strong, experienced leader in charge of the Department of Transportation.
'I'd like to see someone appointed to the DOT secretary job who has an enormous amount of qualifications, someone who will walk in with a flamethrower or a bulldozer and clear out the place.
But I'm extremely confident that the new administration will appoint yet another semi-qualified hack.
Every administration has done it, and I expect nothing different now. We'll have a semi-activist who muddies it up with more bureaucracy.'
Mike Cerbo Executive director, Colorado AFL-CIO
'The big picture is economic recovery and a key component is labor law reform.
Working families will benefit from greater freedom to form and join unions.
We don't want an economic stimulus package to just be cutting everyone a check. We need infrastructure projects that create jobs and to extend unemployment benefits to tide over families, help them pay their mortgages.'
