The Sum & Substance

The Sum & Substance A news site covering what matters to business, focused particularly on the intersection of business and policy

Is this shift discussion of emissions to debate about energy affordability a new paradigm at the Colorado Capitol or jus...
06/05/2026

Is this shift discussion of emissions to debate about energy affordability a new paradigm at the Colorado Capitol or just a blip?

Rather than debate utilities getting to net-zero emissions or put guardrails on natural-gas usage, legislators talked energy affordability.

"We should be championing, not deterring, opportunities for Coloradans to save money," Governor Jared Polis said:
06/04/2026

"We should be championing, not deterring, opportunities for Coloradans to save money," Governor Jared Polis said:

In veto letters, Gov. Jared Polis wrote that the bills could have harmed the very consumers that they espoused they wanted to help.

What role can Colorado employers play in implementing the 232 action plans coming from last year's regional talent summi...
06/02/2026

What role can Colorado employers play in implementing the 232 action plans coming from last year's regional talent summits? Find out in this week's podcast:

Two workforce-development leaders discuss how 232 actions recommended at the 2025 regional talent summits now will become new career pathways.

Even as the $1.5B budget shortfall killed most tax-break proposals, legislators deemed these two so important that they ...
06/01/2026

Even as the $1.5B budget shortfall killed most tax-break proposals, legislators deemed these two so important that they needed to continue them:

One bill offers tax credits for companies creating 20 new jobs. The other gives tax breaks to Coloradans donating to childcare providers.

Next up: Business leaders will sit down with educators and government officials to design this new "one-stop shop":
05/29/2026

Next up: Business leaders will sit down with educators and government officials to design this new "one-stop shop":

The bill tasks a commission with combining Colorado's higher-education and workforce-development initiatives into one new agency.

Compared to the past two sessions, legislative Democrats had a harder time pushing bills to boost housing construction. ...
05/28/2026

Compared to the past two sessions, legislative Democrats had a harder time pushing bills to boost housing construction. Here's why:

Housing will be easier to build around transit hubs and on certain properties, but not necessarily in established neighborhoods.

A 127% fee increase is not something that any business takes lightly. Yet commerce leaders said they were willing to pay...
05/28/2026

A 127% fee increase is not something that any business takes lightly. Yet commerce leaders said they were willing to pay it — if permitting gets more efficient:

Certain fees will rise as much as 127% beginning in July for emissions producers ranging from utilities to oil-and-gas companies.

Still trying to catch up on everything that happened during the 2026 legislative session? Here's a (relatively) quick ov...
05/22/2026

Still trying to catch up on everything that happened during the 2026 legislative session? Here's a (relatively) quick overview of the major business bills that were debated:

Business groups stopped bills they deemed harmful and passed several proactive measures in a legislative session they should remember fondly.

A big thanks to Rocky Mountain PBS and to Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology for asking me to be part of Tues...
05/21/2026

A big thanks to Rocky Mountain PBS and to Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology for asking me to be part of Tuesday's panel discussion on pathways to aviation careers.

This was supposed to be an innovative way for legislators to fill the budget gap. The targets of these tax-credit sales,...
05/21/2026

This was supposed to be an innovative way for legislators to fill the budget gap. The targets of these tax-credit sales, however, have said they are not interested:

A new bill widens the crowd of businesses that can buy the previously allowed tax credits for insurers and C corporations.

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