Letter to the Editor

Dear Boulder County Board of Commissioners,

We, the Niwot Business Association Board of Directors, are following up on a letter submitted to the Boulder County Board of Commissioners late in September of this year. Now that the major municipalities in Boulder County have concluded their current deliberations concerning adjusting their minimum wage beyond what is required by the State of Colorado, we respectfully repeat our request that The Boulder County Board of Commissioners take steps to place us on equal footing with our neighboring communities. The City of Boulder is the only municipality to pass a minimum wage ordinance that goes further than what is required by the state. The ordinance passed by the City of Boulder raises the minimum wage for 2025 to a level lower than the current (2024) minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County. Additionally, the plan approved by the City of Boulder calls for fewer and smaller subsequent increases such that the discrepancy with Boulder County will only grow. Longmont, Lafayette and Louisville have all remained consistent with the state minimum wage with no increases planned in the foreseeable future. As things stand, the Niwot business community is subject and will continue to be subject to one of the highest minimum wage requirements not only in Boulder County, but also the State of Colorado and the entire country.

The Niwot business district is a gem in Boulder County and a vital asset for the broader Niwot community. The business district provides key services to local residents while also serving as a charming option for diners and consumers throughout Boulder County. Take it from a small business owner of eight years in Niwot, opening a small independent business in a relatively small population center is financially quite challenging and risky. Our small, independent businesses do not have room on either side of the ledger to absorb sudden spikes in expenses such as that brought on by dramatic, artificial wage hikes. Generating more revenue in a relatively low population center like Niwot usually means raising prices which is not a reasonable option with the recent inflation run up. Reducing expenses in an already thin margin operation usually means cutting staff. The final option is of course ceasing operations.

We are already seeing the impact of the minimum wage ordinance in our business district. The 1914 House restaurant on 2nd Ave. ceased operations in July and according to the owner, the minimum wage hike was a key factor in that decision. Furthermore, according to the property owner and the commercial property listing brokers, experienced and well known local restaurateurs have considered purchasing the beautiful turnkey establishment but have turned away citing the minimum wage ordinance in effect in Boulder County. The ordinance is particularly hard on the food service industry and there are further signs that our small coterie of food and beverage establishments are struggling.

The effects we cite above are exacerbated by the fact that these cost pressures are not being experienced by our neighboring business districts with whom we must compete. We consider this grossly unfair from a business perspective and ineffectual as a policy given the relatively small number of people employed in unincorporated Boulder County compared to these municipalities.

We again respectfully request that the Boulder County Board of Commissioners match the minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County with the lowest minimum wage among the municipalities in the county moving forward. We also ask that unemancipated minors be removed from the scope of the ordinance such that they are back on par with the state requirements for unemancipated minors. We would also like to note that local attorneys in Niwot have raised questions as to whether the county ordinance conflicts with state statute concerning unemancipated minors. We plan to explore this further.

We look forward to an opportunity to discuss our concerns further with the Boulder County Board of Commissioners.

Respectfully,

Eric Bergeson

Owner, Niwot Wheel Works

President, Niwot Business Association

Vice Chair, Niwot Area Local Improvement District Advisory Committee [email protected]

303-845-0268