Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper left no doubt he believes Colorado’s future lies in its ability to rebrand itself as a “pro-business” state.

“While we may hold ourselves to incredibly high standards of ethical behavior and environmental standards, we are relentlessly pro-business,” Hickenlooper said at a Saturday morning economic development meeting in Durango.

Growing business in the state is a win-win situation, he said, benefitting both the public and private sectors.

“Every single component of the state budget is underfunded, yet all over the state, there is no appetite anywhere for more taxes,” he said. “What that means is you have to help businesses expand; help those businesses make more money so they can pay more salary so they generate more taxes.”

Hickenlooper said his strategy of crafting a statewide economic development plan would take into account the individual economic plans from each of the state’s counties.

“Our goal is to go to all 64 counties and let each county decide what they think their economic development future should look like, what they want their vision to be and how they might get there,” he said.

More than 100 residents, elected officials and business leaders from across Southwest Colorado attended Saturday’s meeting in the Strater Hotel’s Pullman Room, many of them catching their first glimpse of the new governor since he was sworn in to office last Tuesday.

Traveling with the governor was Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia; outgoing U.S. Rep. John Salazar, recently appointed to be Hickenlooper’s agriculture commissioner; former state Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, head of the Colorado Tourism office; and Reeves Brown, new head of the Department of Local Affairs.

Though they headlined the meeting, the governor and his administration kept their comments brief. The true purpose of the meeting was to give residents and officials the opportunity to share their ideas, hopes and concerns in regard to Southwest Colorado’s economy.

For Ed Morlan, executive director of the Region 9 Economic Development District, and Rick Smith, mayor of Bayfield and chairman of the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments, as well as a number of people in the audience, one major factor inhibiting growth in the region is inadequate broadband infrastructure.

Smith said businesses may be reluctant to move into an area without adequate access to broadband.

“The last thing we want is to have a business who says ‘I can’t open my doors,’” Smith said.

What Smith proposed and what the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments plans to construct is a high-speed, fiber-optic network linking towns and governments in the region. That network could be made available to private carriers who could extend service to homes and businesses.

“We will not make our money off the network,” Smith said. “Our money comes from the businesses that will come in and use the network.”

San Juan County Commissioner Pete McKay urged Hickenlooper to support San Juan County’s fight for fiber-optic connectivity. Silverton is the only county seat in the state not connected to a fiber-optic network.

“I hope, if nothing else, you take away how important this is to us,” McKay said.

La Plata County Commissioner Kellie Hotter reminded Hickenlooper how important severance tax money is to Southwest Colorado’s economic survival. She asked him to support Senate Bill 11-035.

Sponsored by state Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, the bill would prohibit the state from diverting severance tax money away from local governments.

Inevitably making its way into the discussion was the issue of getting Denver television stations, instead of Mew Mexico television stations, broadcast in La Plata and Montezuma counties.

Kerry Petranek, CEO of local business StoneAge Tools, wondered if exposure to New Mexico advertising was causing people in the region to shop out of state. Denver media and local advertising, she said, could help stop money from leaving the region.

“I know you guys don’t get Denver media,” Hickenlooper said. “I haven’t figured out how to do that, but the one thing I said at the end of my inaugural event is that we view every Coloradan as a member of our administration.”

He was politely reminded that his inauguration was not broadcast in La Plata and Montezuma counties.

pyoung@durango herald.com