Job Creation

Job creation and fostering a pro-jobs business climate in the State should be one of the General Assembly's top priorities. Yet Connecticut has emerged as one of the worst jobs climates of any state in the nation. Connecticut has had zero net job growth in the last fifteen years. And the State ranks 47th out of 50 states for new business start ups. These statistics are frightening because of the impact this reality can have on real people and their families. Struggling businesses mean that people are not secure in their jobs and fear losing them. Job loss can be devastating to a family, and the perception that our State is weak economically means that our children might look to other states for opportunity.

This crisis has been created, to a large extent, by policies that have increased the cost of doing business in Connecticut and which make our state unfriendly to business. The cost of doing business in Connecticut is the sixth highest in the nation. This is due to a combination of high taxes and costly mandates. In addition, businesses often are required to fend off legislative initiatives that can strangle a company's profitability and job growth potential. In 2006, businesses were confronted by a number of these initiatives, which may have been good politics but could have had damaging consequences to our local economy. Although these efforts were rebuffed, they have added to the perception that Connecticut is not pro business and pro jobs.

Improving our business climate is essential to protecting working families because a growing economy means more job opportunity, greater job security, and stronger incomes. It also helps the less fortunate by making sure in future years that our State can meet its obligations to those who depend on our help. The essential components of a genuine job creation policy are lowering the cost of doing business in the State, ensuring that we have a highly educated and well trained work force, and avoiding anti-business initiatives that drive away jobs and opportunities.

At the beginning of this year's session of the General Assembly, legislative leaders announced that in 2006 economic growth and job creation would be the State's top priorities. But it's not going to be just an election year sound bite for me in the State Senate. I will fight to make sure that economic and job growth must be our number one priority every year, not just in election years. Fighting for sound long term economic and job growth policies will be my mission as your State Senator.

More to come during the campaign.

1. Benchmarking Connecticut's Economy: A Comparative Analysis of Innovation and Technology, Overview p.7 (Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. September 2005).

2. State Rankings 2006: A Statistical View of the 50 States, p. 106 (Morgan Quitno Press 2006).

3. Connecticut Business and Industry Association.

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