State Senate Republican Leader Louis C. DeLuca (R-Woodbury), Senator John McKinney (R-Fairfield), Senator David C. Cappiello (R-Danbury), Senator William Nickerson (R-Greenwich) and fellow Senate Republicans held a press conference today to critique the Democrat legislative policies that have created an unhealthy atmosphere for businesses in the state of Connecticut. The Senators pointed out several Democrat bills from the past two years that have increased taxes on businesses and hindered the ability of private employers to manage their own costs.

"Through their anti-business bills and rhetoric, Democrats in the legislature have succeeded in making Connecticut a bad place to do business," said Senator DeLuca. "Year after year of claiming to be pro-jobs but passing laws that are anti-business, these Democrats have created an environment where it is next to impossible to lure new businesses to the state, and where it is more and more tempting for existing businesses to relocate. We have already saddled our businesses with the 9 th highest tax burden in the nation, but the Democrat legislature still views our business community as 'the bad guys' who should be punished for being successful."

"Connecticut's economy depends on businesses of all sizes generating jobs and investing in the state, but there is simply no incentive for them to do so when they are governed by a legislature that fails to understand the connection between a positive business climate and economic growth," said Senator McKinney. "The more we burden Connecticut's businesses with taxes and mandates, the more reason they will have for leaving the state. It should come as no surprise that our state is lagging behind in the post 9-11 economic recovery - the legislature is simply not doing what it needs to do in order to make the state welcome to new business."

"Our objective is to make Connecticut an attractive place to do business but their proposals do just the opposite," said Senator Cappiello, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee. "According to the Democrats, companies in Connecticut that are successful are not being taxed enough and the ones that aren't successful are criticized for not creating jobs. It's a no win situation. Personally I think we should be welcoming businesses to our state and having an open and friendly dialogue with companies already set up here instead of this 'businesses can do no right' attitude that the state currently projects."

Some of the more onerous bills currently in the committee process include:

•  HB 6972 - a corporate tax bill that would increase the tax burden on businesses

•  SB 1147 - would require businesses employing 100+ people to offer a health plan similar to the state of Connecticut plan. Would cost businesses $3600 per employee

•  SB 1021 - rolls back worker compensation reform from 1993