Tayer: Election season: Please pay attention

I can’t say it any more simply, clearly and emphatically: It’s election season and business leaders, along with our entire community, need to pay attention!

Municipal elections are always an important affair for our local businesses and the economy. We typically have a number of initiatives on the ballot with a direct impact on how businesses operate and policies that influence the economic environment. There also is a pool of candidates vying for seats on Boulder’s City Council, including the mayor role, each with their own degree of concern and understanding regarding business and economic needs.

This year’s election is different, though, and will demand more intense focus for our business community:

• Even-year election: To start, this is the first year that Boulder is holding its municipal election in an even year. The ostensible argument for this move is to engage more voters in local elections. We’ve also seen that even-year elections tend to attract a different character of voter, with more students and renters drawn to the polls by top-tier races, like the one we have this year for governor. This means our business leaders need to get out to vote in higher numbers, too, to make sure your voice is heard.

• Open Boulder City Council seats: In a typical municipal election year, there are four council seats up for grabs, along with the mayor role. This year, with Mark Wallach’s resignation in the middle of his term, there will be five council seats to fill. For that reason, along with deep community tensions around everything from municipal finances to transportation planning, the list of mayor and council candidates has grown beyond anything we’ve seen in recent years. Our business leaders will need to study the vast array of candidates closely to determine who will best represent your perspective. 

• Ballot measures: Direct democracy is alive and well in Colorado, including in Boulder. I won’t begin to reference here the abundance of state ballot measures we have to wade through this year, many with appealing titles, but potentially harmful consequences that will take extra scrutiny to discern. With a focus on more localized concerns, though, we will be asked to weigh in on two property tax initiatives of particular interest to our businesses and the economy. One Boulder County property tax proposal will fund childcare services, while the other city initiative will finance roughly $400 million (with payments potentially totaling up to $650 million) in municipal infrastructure investments. We need our business leaders to carefully weigh the costs and benefits of these local property tax initiatives.

• Your insights: Democracy is not a passive word. It takes intentional action to generate the value our democracy promises — a direct say in our elected leadership and issues of importance to you, your business and your community. Along with that opportunity comes the responsibility to weigh your candidate and policy choices carefully and to cast an informed ballot. As business leaders and respected community members, we urge you to share your insights with colleagues and employees and encourage them to vote according to their own judgement. Your business and a strong economy need your active engagement in our democracy.

The Boulder Chamber is giving this election the extra attention it deserves. We will be hosting our annual City Council Candidate Forum, 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at eTown Hall. This is the first chance to meet all registered candidates for City of Boulder Mayor and Council. This event will be recorded, too, for later review. In addition, the Boulder Chamber will prepare its annual Ballot Scorecard, sharing our opinion on key ballot measures and providing insights on where the City Council and Mayor candidates sit on business and economic issues.

This all only matters, though, if you recognize the importance of casting an informed vote in this municipal election. And your vote does matter. So, I urge you, review the material we share, listen to what the candidates are saying, and consider how each ballot measure will impact your business and our collective economic interests. In other words . . . please pay attention! 

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