Yearly Three-Page
Report Would Describe Business Climate & Make Suggestions
For Improvement
Senator Rob Kane (R-32) is calling for the General
Assembly to pass legislation requiring the state Department
of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to complete
a brief annual report describing the state’s competitiveness
as a place for business, and making recommendations
for improvement.
Senator Kane is a co-sponsor of SB 50,
An Act Concerning The Competitiveness Of Connecticut
As A Place To Do Business, which was a
subject of a recent public hearing before the General
Assembly’s Commerce Committee. Senator Kane is
a member of the Commerce Committee.
“All of us have heard stories about businesses
leaving the state for various reasons; high taxes and
high energy costs are just two of the reasons. In my
district, numerous companies and manufacturers are scheduled
to cease operations. While it is clear that some business
closings around the state are due directly to the economic
downturn, it is also clear that, if the state had a
more favorable business climate, these closings could
potentially be avoided,” said Senator Kane.
Under the proposed legislation the DECD Commissioner
would begin no later than January 1, 2010 to submit
a summary report to the Governor and the Commerce Committee
evaluating the competitiveness of Connecticut as a place
for business. The annual reports would be a maximum
of three pages long and include, but not be limited
to, an evaluation of how the programs and policies of
state government affect the economy and business environment;
the ability of the state to retain and attract businesses;
steps taken by other states to improve their competitiveness
as places for business; and programs and policies Connecticut
could implement to improve its competitiveness as a
place for business.
“I believe passage of this bill would help all
of us not only to understand what exactly our business
climate is, but also how to improve it,” said
Senator Kane.
Senator Kane is co-sponsoring the proposed legislation
with Senator L. Scott Frantz (R-36), who is the leading
Republican Senator, or Ranking Member, on the Commerce
Committee.
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