Gabe Evans Blasts Colorado's 205,000 Business Restrictions in Letter to Polis

1 articles · Updated · denvergazette.com · Jul 10

Rep. Gabe Evans sent Gov. Jared Polis a letter accusing Colorado's regulatory wave of imposing “ever-growing hardships” on small businesses in the state’s 8th Congressional District.
Evans said laws signed in recent years — including taxes on overtime and fees on diesel, deliveries, transportation services and 10-cent plastic bags — are forcing employers to cut staff and operate on tighter margins.
Colorado now ranks as the sixth most heavily regulated state, with more than 205,000 state-level business restrictions, according to a 2025 Colorado Chamber of Commerce review cited in the report.
A 2023 Common Sense Institute study estimated mandates and ballot-driven rules cost Colorado’s economy about $2 billion a year, reinforcing concerns that red tape is hurting growth and job creation.
Polis' administration has pointed to a bipartisan law meant to reduce administrative burdens through added agency-rule reviews, but critics argue the effort is too limited as Colorado’s business reputation slips.