​​Local Small Businesses

Small businesses, especially restaurants and retailers, are the backbone of our local economy, but they continue to struggle post-COVID. High commercial vacancies, staffing challenges, and inflation make daily operations tough—and they deserve better.

 

How I'm Working on It:

 

• Passed a modest local minimum wage increase while protecting the tipped wage credit to support restaurants

• Advocating for balanced policy that supports business viability and worker fairness

• Prioritizing small business health in economic development strategy
   

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Planning and Permitting Reform

Outdated codes and red tape have made it unnecessarily hard to open or grow a business in Boulder. That’s changing.

 

How I'm Working On It:

 

• Helped eliminate unnecessary Use Reviews for restaurants and streamlined permitting

• Cut weeks—and in some cases, months—off business approval timelines

• Committed to ongoing modernization to meet today’s business needs faster and more fairly
   

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Office Vacancy and Reuse

Office vacancy is one of the most complex challenges we face. Hybrid work has reduced demand, but many property owners are locked into pre-pandemic financing agreements that prevent them from lowering lease rates. Office vacancy, now nearing 30%, threatens the health of downtown and other commercial corridors, but it also presents a creative opportunity.

 

How I'm Working On It:

 

• Advocating for adaptive reuse of office space into housing, retail, and community uses

• Exploring policy levers to encourage more flexible leasing and creative space conversions

• Partnering with property owners and developers to plan for a hybrid future

 

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Innovation and Science
 

Our research institutions and scientific community are not just assets—they’re economic anchors. But they’re under threat from national politics that devalue science and research. The joke that “you can throw a rock in Boulder and hit a PhD” is one of our greatest economic strengths, and we must protect this long-standing identity of our community.

 

How I'm Working On It:

 

• Championed Boulder’s designation as a national “Quantum Hub”

• Supporting policies that protect and grow our innovation economy

• Working to ensure that federal labs, CU Boulder, and startups remain drivers of good jobs and knowledge-based growth

 

 

Sundance Film Festival
 

Sundance’s move to Boulder is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elevate our creative economy and global profile. It can’t be a silver bullet—but it can be a powerful spark.

 

How I'm Working On It:

 

• Supporting necessary infrastructure like new hotels (Moxy, Limelight) to host global audiences year-round

• Advocating for expanded cultural events and tourism opportunities to support local businesses

• Working with city partners to maximize economic impact while preserving community character​

 

 

Boulder’s economy works best when it works for everyone—whether you’re running a restaurant, launching a startup, working in academic research, or bringing art to life. By continuing to champion smart, inclusive, and forward-thinking policy, we can build a city that balances creativity, opportunity, and long-term resilience.

 

Let’s keep going—together.​​