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State Senator Toni Boucher (R-Wilton) poses a question to Avant Vice President Charles Chiusano |
Stamford, CT - Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-28) and Republican members of the Stamford legislative delegation today met with executives and employees at Avant Business Services of Stamford, CT to discuss the state budget and highlight the harmful impact the Democrats’ proposed $1.8 billion tax increase would have on Connecticut small businesses. Avant Vice President Charles Chiusano told legislators that small businesses will not be able to sustain the proposed income tax hike and 15% profits surcharge included in the Democrats’ plan. He predicts a further exodus of Connecticut businesses if the proposal becomes law.
“Here we treat our employees like family and we feel responsible for them and their own families, so we are doing all we can to keep their jobs secure like taking pay cuts and furlough days,” said Chiusano. “But unfortunately our margins are so thin that if these additional corporate and personal taxes go through, it could be the tipping point for us. We already do business in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and we could very easily move across the border to a more business-friendly state.”
For 85 years, Avant has provided a wide range of business services including courier services, staff leasing, IT deployment, warehousing and logistics support. The company employs over 300 individuals at their three offices in New York, Stamford and Hartford.
“What happens to our employees if we move? How do they sustain themselves and their families? There has to be another way to balance the budget that won't force so many of us out of business or out of the state," said Chiusano.
Among the legislative leaders on hand to field questions from Avant executives and employees were Senate Republican leader John McKinney (R-28), and Stamford legislators Sen. L. Scott Frantz (R-36) and Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149). The Republican legislators have been fighting proposed tax hikes for months, arguing that the best budget for the state of Connecticut is one that reduces spending, eliminates government waste and does not raise taxes.
“Like many other Connecticut companies, Avant has a presence outside the state and could easily move to somewhere more business friendly,” said Sen. McKinney, who noted that Connecticut has already lost 60,000 jobs in the current recession. “If Democrats move forward with their $1.8 billion tax hike, businesses like Avant will simply pick up shop and relocate elsewhere, and they will take their jobs with them. These are the real-world implications of the irresponsible tax and spend policies being put forth by majority Democrats.”
“The Connecticut taxpayers who will foot the bill to balance the budget under this Democrat proposal are not just nameless, faceless statistics,” said Sen. Frantz. “Charles and his team have families and lives to support. Placing an additional tax burden on them could leave them no choice but to move elsewhere leaving Connecticut in even more financial trouble than it is now. Instead we must look to make intelligent reductions in spending while encouraging job growth."
Rep. Floren added, "Avant's story is one I hear from people all the time. We cannot keep burdening our job creators with more and more regulations, increased taxes and unaffordable mandates and expect them to just smile and take it. They are the engine of our economy without them CT loses the many jobs they provide."
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