Affordability, workforce housing, business regulation and unpredictable federal policies: Those were the top concerns business leaders from across La Plata County expressed while meeting with Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District Rep. Jeff Hurd on Friday at the Durango Chamber of Commerce.
The congressman traveled to Southwest Colorado to meet with a 17-person group of small business owners and economic leaders to learn how policies made in Washington are affecting people who must live with them.
Who attended
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd met with 15 small business and economic leaders Friday in Durango. Here’s who was in attendance:
Kim Oyler, chief operating officer and advocacy lead for the Durango Chamber of Commerce.
Jeff Dupont, CEO of the Durango Chamber of Commerce and the co-owner of Studio B, a psychology clinic in Durango.
Alex Miller, owner of Smart Enterprises, Animas Glass and Halo Installation.
Clark and Sharon Craig, owners of Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park in Ignacio.
Dave Woodruff, mayor pro-tem of Durango.
Jeff Dickerson, insurance adviser and co-owner of the Leavitt Group.
Jerrod Jones, regulatory and corporate affairs manager at Harvest Midstream Co.
Joe Lloyd, Durango Joe’s Coffee owner.
Kris Oyler, founder and CEO of Peak Food & Beverage.
Liz Cartier, dean of the Katz School of Business at Fort Lewis College.
Michelina Paulek, executive director of the La Plata County Energy Council.
Sarah Tober, executive director of the La Plata Economic Alliance.
Symone Massey, market president for Vectra Bank.
Trevor Bird, Durango Harley-Davidson owner.
Vaughn Morris, CEO of the La Plata County Boys & Girls Club and member of Durango Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Zachary Ray, owner of Desert Sun Coffee Roasters.
Hurd said the top concerns raised during the meeting included improving workforce housing, implementing a fair regulatory environment and ensuring predictability in international trade decisions – particularly the sporadic nature of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.
“Businesses can address risk well, but the unpredictability and uncertainty that comes from quickly changing policies is devastating,” Hurd said. “So ensuring that we have a regulatory environment that’s predictable, that’s stable, that’s lasting, is something that I heard loud and clear.”
He said he intends to keep making policies with a “pro-business, pro-jobs, pro-growth mindset,” balancing Southwest Colorado’s strongest economic drivers, including tourism, outdoor recreation and its diverse energy economy.
“Those are legs in a stool that’s essential for economic health and growth here in Southwest Colorado,” Hurd said.
He said he supports tax policies, such as the 199A qualified business income deduction, along with regulatory and permitting reforms to encourage development.
Hurd said he was told there is a need for more vocational training opportunities for careers in the trades.
“One of the interesting things I heard was that without adequate skills and training for workforce, what happens is our small businesses here tend to go to larger projects that are more expensive with wealthier clients, and the average people are left out when it comes to the services that they need,” hesaid.
Encouraging more people to pursue careers as plumbers, electricians and welders – all fields with high demand in the U.S. ‒ would aid in economic growth, he said.
Hurd’s meeting came a month into the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. With the Strait of Hormuz closed – through which about 25% of the world’s oil is exported, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica – fuel prices have spiked worldwide and gas prices have risen by more than $1 per gallon in the U.S. since the war began.
The congressman said he agrees with Trump that there was a threat from Iran. But the spike in global energy costs, Hurd said, is not conducive to sustainable business growth, which thrives in stable, predictable circumstances.
“Bad energy policy is a hidden tax on every single Coloradan, every single American, and so my commitment is to doing everything we can to ensure long-term price stability and affordable, safe, reliable energy,” Hurd said.
He said he was in support of the U.S.’s involvement in Iran and anticipated a short rise in oil prices.
“I support the military action in Iran to dismantle not only the Iranian nuclear program but also the ballistic missile program that was shielding that program,” Hurd said. “But I recognize that the result is what I am anticipating will be short-term energy increases, and we need to work long-term to ensure that the energy policy that we have in this country is aimed at lowering those costs.”
There is, however, a concern among experts that the war in Iran could have long-term effects on the global economy. A Wednesday article published by the Brookings Institution warned that a prolonged conflict in Iran could “cause a recession, as economic activity contracts to adjust to high fuel prices.”
Hurd also said the president acted within his authority under the War Powers Act by attacking Iran, and that Congress received a briefing about the war before it began. But as the war wears on, the House and the Senate must have more oversight, he said.
“As the days go on, I think it’s more and more incumbent on Congress to ensure that we have a role with respect to what’s happening in this military action, and ensuring that the dollars that we’re spending are tied to a strategic objective that Congress agrees to,” Hurd said.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
