Characteristics of successful elected officials

A key goal of Vail Valley Partnership is to continue to help build and sustain a business-friendly community that is welcoming, supportive, and appreciative of the businesses that make our quality of life possible.

As the largest Chamber of Commerce between Colorado’s Front Range and Salt Lake City and one of the largest chambers of commerce in Colorado, we are keenly aware of and strive to represent the needs of Eagle County business and community issues in a way that few other organizations or associations can.

Pro-business candidates focused on solutions are necessary for our towns and regions to thrive. Our local elections such as the Town of Vail (ten candidates for four seats) and Town of Eagle (five candidates, including two write-ins, for three seats) are vital to the continued vitality of our communities.

We believe the following beliefs should guide political discourse in Eagle County:

• We believe that elected officials and political parties should vigorously compete over values, principles, and ideas, but also find common ground to solve problems and pass needed legislation. Gridlock is not an option.
• We believe facts, supported by irrefutable evidence, are the basis for what to believe and how to act. No community can thrive when its citizens or elected officials believe there is no such thing as objective facts or truths.
• We believe that no one has a monopoly on the best public policy proposals. That means the ability to listen to and understand both sides of a debate are a prerequisite to finding practical solutions.
• We believe public interest must come before individual interest. This means putting what is right for the community ahead of loyalty to a party, a special interest group, or an individual’s interests.
• We believe that problem-solving is more important than posturing. Single-issue candidates tend to amplify division instead of producing solutions to community challenges.
• We are pragmatists who believe in collaboration to meet the goals of a diverse set of residents and businesses. We understand that politics and policy aren’t black and white – that issues have nuance and complexity. And we believe many Eagle County residents support politicians rejecting political hostility and divisiveness, instead focusing more on common ground.

These beliefs and the need to focus on solutions are not limited to local elections. Recent polling conducted on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce illustrates that voters are supportive of pro-growth policies and pro-business candidates who will help businesses create jobs.

The Chamber’s poll also reports that aggressive agendas from the progressive left and populist right for greater government management of the economy and micromanagement of businesses are decidedly out of step with the views of voters. The message to candidates is clear: whether you are courting Republican, Democratic, or independent voters, candidates will be well served to run as pro-business candidates focused on solutions that support our communities.

The issues that should be on local candidates’ agendas to promote pro-business policies include housing, childcare, healthcare, workforce development, transit & transportation, and economic resiliency. These priorities can be summed up as focusing on creating and maintaining a business-friendly environment by which businesses of any size can start, grow, expand, and thrive in Eagle County.

Successful candidates – local, state, and federal – become successful elected officials. Successful elected officials are vital to impact how the public sector works together with non-government organizations, nonprofits, the business community, and other groups to address our common challenges.

Helping businesses prosper helps our communities thrive. Candidates for office should remember this and continue to work to foster the community of collaboration inherent in the beliefs above.

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com