Reminder to vote!

Successful communities require thriving businesses. Thriving businesses need business-friendly elected officials who are focused on collaboration and shared goals, not division. Recent polling conducted on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce illustrates that voters are supportive of pro-growth policies and pro-business candidates who will help businesses create jobs.

The Chamber’s poll also reports that aggressive agendas from the progressive left and populist right for greater government management of the economy and micromanagement of businesses are decidedly out of step with the views of voters. This is true on a national level and a local level here in Eagle County.

Across America today, business is working. In the first seven months of this year, private-sector employers have added one million individuals to their payrolls. Existing businesses are booming, and the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. New business starts – the ones that are most likely to add new employees – have totaled 1,021,221 so far this year. At the current pace, 2023 is on track to be the second-best year on record for the formation of new employer businesses.

Even with this success, we could be doing much, much better if our elected leaders focused more on putting the wind at the backs of small, medium, and large American businesses. Again, this holds at a national level and for our vibrant entrepreneurial community locally.

Perhaps the fastest-growing risk to businesses, whether large companies or new start-ups, is government policy chaos. According to research compiled by the Chamber, among companies that are required to publicly disclose risks that could impact their business, an astonishing trend has emerged over the past decade. The number of references to government policy has increased by 27% while references to normal business risks – changing consumer demands, reputational risk, and financial risks – have remained essentially flat.

It isn’t just overregulation – though that is an extremely concerning problem today. It is a fact that every couple of years, the government fundamentally changes its approach. How can businesses plan and invest for the long term if the tax system, labor rules, energy requirements, and so on, are constantly changing every two to four years? How can candidates provide more certainty to small and large businesses by working with Congress, the State Legislature, and local officials (regardless of party affiliation) to provide smart, pro-growth policies that will last longer than the two to four years until the next election and secure our economic strength and business vitality well into future?

Local candidates focused on how we grow the economy, develop new workforce housing, and identify opportunities for collaboration to increase the opportunity for all Eagle County residents would also do well to avoid the divisiveness encouraged by some partisan activists on the far right and far left today.

As polling just released by the Chamber illustrates, it turns out voters aren’t interested in the government dragging business into the culture wars or micromanaging business decisions. Letting consumers decide and the market work isn’t just good business sense, it is good political advice.

And for those who hope to have it both ways by pretending to stand up for small businesses while attacking big businesses: not so fast. Our small businesses rely on big businesses as customers and suppliers. Many of the new businesses created today exist only because of the platforms built by larger employers. Candidates should take caution – political attacks against big business also undermine small businesses and harm the dynamism that makes our free enterprise system the envy of the world.

Despite headwinds and challenges, business is working. This election season, we encourage votes for candidates who strive to make government work better.

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com