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This week, as the country celebrates National Small Business Week, it’s worth recognizing a key demographic of America’s economic growth: Latino entrepreneurs. Across the United States, there are more than 5 million Latino-owned businesses generating over $800 billion in economic value.
Angel Merlos,
Strategic Director, The LIBRE Initiative
Congressman Jeff Crank,
Congressman for Colorado’s 5th Congressional District
These aren’t just statistics in my own district these are family-run restaurants, construction firms, agriculture operations, and Main Street shops that employ neighbors, and embody the very spirit of the American Dream. In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, which is 18 percent Latino, Latino small businesses throughout southern and eastern El Paso County are economic engines and job creators.
Colorado’s Path to Protecting the American Dream
That entrepreneurial drive is exactly why the policies we are fighting for in Congress matter so much. When we cut taxes, reduce regulatory burdens, and lower energy costs, we are not just helping working families, we are creating the conditions for Latino business owners to hire more workers, invest in their operations, and grow. Every dollar saved from Washington’s overreach is a dollar that can be reinvested right here in Colorado. Supporting our small businesses is not a small priority it is a pathway to a stronger, more prosperous economy for every Coloradan.
Protecting the American Dream is not just about supporting our businesses but also putting you in control of your finances. That is why since going to Congress I have focused on bringing immediate tax relief. Last year,I worked with my colleagues in Congress to prevent a major tax increase while also supporting policies that reduce spending to allow families to keep more of what they earn. The Working Families Tax Cut has already started to pay off. This year even as Denver Democrats try to destroy TABOR and take your hard-earned money our federal legislation gave the average Coloradan family a $3,600 federal refund, an average refund that outperformed 26 other states. We fought to help you keep more of your money and we made it happen.
Colorado’s Path to Protecting the American Dream
What will it take for us to continue to fight to make the American Dream accessible? We must make our country energy independent. Last year, I brought members of Congress and their staff to learn about our energy industry. Colorado ranks as the 9th largest energy producer in the U.S., with oil, natural gas, wind, and solar powering our state’s economic engine. Last December, a bipartisan vote reformed the federal permitting process through the SPEED Act, helping projects move forward more predictably. That means more jobs, more infrastructure investment, and more reliable energy supply so that global challenges don’t hit your pocketbook as easily. When we unleash American energy, we know that those benefits help stabilize costs for families and businesses across the state.
The work isn’t finished but it’s well underway. Partnering with groups like the LIBRE Initiative, we are fighting to limit government overreach and put power back where it belongs: in the hands of everyday Americans. When we focus on policies that work, we don’t just keep the American Dream alive, but we pass it on stronger than we found it. Together our best days are ahead of us and I look forward to continuing to deliver for all Coloradans.
