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Economic Development |
In today' fiercely competitive climate, no one can afford to be sluggish or excessively onerous in assisting businesses start up, relocate here, expand or otherwise enhance their operations. These business initiatives mean JOBS -- and the working people of Connecticut need those jobs.
Too often we hear of employers who have to wade through mountains of red tape for simple requests -- like the small manufacturing firm in East Hartford who waiting 9 months to get permission to construct a storage shed on his property.
We also hear constantly about aggressive, effective campaigns by other states looking to woo our businesses to their locales. One developer could make no headway in CT, but received a personal phone call from the Governor of Pennsylvania, promising to help the business find customers if the developer would locate his new business in Philadelphia.
All too often, opportunities on which we could surely capitalize are neglected or bungled.
It's got to stop -- and a new aggressive Connecticut campaign to retain and recruit new employers has to start -- with Governor Rell leading the charge.
To be sure, the state does many good things in the field of economic development -- like Connecticut Innovations, Inc and the Clean Energy Fund. But it all has to be kicked up not just a notch, but a dozen notches.
At the same time, Connecticut cannot afford to provide economic assistance and incentives to companies without insisting on commitments in return. Even major, "reputable" corporations will retreat to the letter of the law when moving out jobs soon after getting state aid in order to maintain jobs. Agreements must include iron-clad employment numbers, repayment provisions for failure to maintain those targets, and strong penalties for those who try to "take the money and run." |
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