Advocacy

Boulder Transportation Connections (BTC), the local nonprofit Transportation Management Organization (TMO) focused on promoting transportation choices that are efficient and sustainable, has integrated into the Boulder Chamber as of April 1.

For good reason, our community has fought with near religious fervor for more than a decade over the best path toward achieving our climate protection and renewable energy goals. It seems appropriate, therefore, to offer a biblical analogy as a closing argument in favor of Ballot Issue 2C, the proposed franchise agreement with Xcel Energy.

Whether it’s an investment decision, a human resource policy or an election issue endorsement, the best decisions rely on thorough analysis of the options and their impacts. The Boulder Chamber takes that same thoughtful approach when deciding its position on ballot issues.

This fall, voters will determine whether the City of Boulder and Xcel Energy enter into a franchise agreement, which would end the decade-long municipalization effort for a city-run, community-owned electric utility. The Boulder Chamber supports this proposed franchise agreement between the City of Boulder and Xcel Energy.

The Boulder Chamber is hosting a forum on the local ballot measures that address a proposed settlement agreement with Xcel Energy to potentially end the municipalization effort and the future of Boulder’s Utility Occupation Tax.

As the state continues to grapple with the economic impacts of COVID-19, Coloradans will vote on a number of key issues this fall that will affect state funding and the business sector. In preparation for this vote, the Boulder Chamber convened state leaders to discuss two key issues with our members—repealing the Gallagher Amendment and Paid Medical and Family Leave (Initiative 283).

The City of Boulder has spent years assessing whether to pursue a city-run, community-owned electric utility or to achieve it renewable energy goals through a renewed franchise agreement with its current electric services provider, Xcel Energy. City Council will revisit this debate on August 4 when it considers the progress of recent negotiations between Xcel leadership and City of Boulder representatives. At issue will be whether or not to place a new franchise agreement before the voters during this fall’s election, effectively ending the City of Boulder 10-year bid to municipalize our electric system.