[All quotes/downloadable files below are of Richard Wobbekind.]
Colorado business leaders continue to believe that 2017 will be a positive year for economic growth in the state and nationally, according to the 麻豆影院 Leeds Business Confidence Index survey released today.
Expectations for the second quarter of 2017 are up 3.1 points from last quarter and 8 points from the second quarter last year, says economist Richard Wobbekind (WAH-Be-kin).
CUT 1 鈥淐olorado鈥檚 business leaders are more optimistic about Colorado than even they are about the nation. (:05) I think they see the numbers of the new people moving to the state 鈥� the migration numbers. The see the employment continue to grow at a good pace and they are very optimistic about sales and their profitability.鈥� (:19)
Wobbekind says there are a few factors helping to fuel this optimism 鈥� from promises of regulatory reform and infrastructure investments to various tax proposals.
CUT 2 鈥淲e know business leaders are very focused on the regulatory reform that has been suggested. They are very pleased with the corporate tax proposals that are going to be floated and certainly even have some focus on the infrastructure investments that have been suggested. (:17) So when we look at the big picture or the broad picture here, the two or three things that look most likely to occur as we go forward in the economy in terms of reforms that have been proposed are all things that are very positive for business.鈥� (:30)
While the optimistic outlook of Colorado鈥檚 business leaders remains strong, something that鈥檚 not in the survey has Wobbekind concerned and that鈥檚 low wages and inflation.
CUT 3 鈥淭he inflation numbers that came out showed Colorado with inflation stronger than the nation. The shelter number was up very high at a 7 percent increase and really reflecting the cost of housing going up so much. (:13) We鈥檙e very focused on the growth in per-capita income, which has not been that strong in the last year compared to the growth in the actual cost of living. (:22) Either we are going to have to have a cooling of the inflation in the state or certainly we鈥檙e going to have to have wages go up more rapidly in order to keep the workers on an even keel.鈥� (:35)
For the complete story visit /today/node/15336/. For more detailed information visit the Leeds School鈥檚 for the second quarter report. Read the complete story.听