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DENVER — The mammoth federal stimulus package was signed into law months ago in Denver, but folks like Gary Yoshimura are still waiting to see what good it will do.
Yoshimura is an engineer in Denver, and he says he'd like a piece of all the government construction work he hears about on the news. But so far, he has little information about how he can compete for stimulus-funded work.
"It's becoming apparent that the only people hiring are the government, not the private sector. But I haven't had any luck," he said.
Colorado officials are moving to help business owners such as Yoshimura find out how to get state contracts. The state put on a fair for small business owners Tuesday, and Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter stood before several hundred who attended to sign an executive order ordering stimulus jobs to be posted on central Web site.
"There's nothing more important to this state and this country right now than you, the business owners," Ritter said.
But in the packed room of people seeking contracts — a crowd that included roofers, truckers and even a high-end water delivery firm — reviews were mixed.
Some business owners say they're still not sure where all the stimulus money is going. Colorado officials say the state is getting some $3.7 billion in direct spending, plus billions more in tax cuts, but business owners at the fair said they're still trying to learn what work is being funded.
"I don't know what's available. I don't even know where to start," said Ruth Hollins, owner of a nurse staffing firm in Denver. Hollins shuffled among several dozen tables set up, each staffed by state agencies and public colleges to explain their procurement procedures.
Hollins praised the Colorado fair and said the state employees were helpful. But there were more questions than answers among the business owners looking for work.
"It seems to me, my personal opinion, that all this money is just going to big corporations — small businesses aren't seeing it," said Kim Stefonick of suburban Aurora, owner of J&K Trucking. Stefonick's company specializes in hauling construction debris, but she isn't sure where to seek state work.
Asked whether she was getting answers at Tuesday's fair, Stefonick laughed and shrugged. "Maybe it'll help. I don't know," she said.
Others wondered whether stimulus work would ever appear, given headlines about government budget cuts. Just moments before the fair, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper a few blocks away proposed city budget cuts to address a $120 million shortfall.
"All you see is them talking about budget cuts, so you're logically wondering how they're going to be spending money," said Monica Robinson, a Denver consultant looking for technology contracts.
The stimulus package does include "stabilization" money to help state and local governments avoid deep cuts, but state officials point out that most recovery dollars aren't being used to prevent budget cuts, but on projects to put people to work.
Optimism was rare at the business fair, but some said they didn't mind the long lines, and that eventually, even small startup businesses would see the stimulus's effects.
"We're very positive so far," said Marye Irvin, owner of Cool Water LLC, the water-delivery company in Colorado Springs. Irvin chatted with procurement officers at the state Department of Corrections and some small colleges. She said she learned a lot about how to seek contracts — even though many of them aren't available yet.
"This is just an opportunity for us, so that when we get going, we're in a position to do business," Irvin said.
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On the Net:
Colorado stimulus jobs: http://www.connectingcolorado.com
