The Connecticut Business and Industry Association released its legislative agenda Monday with the goal of pushing the state’s rank for business friendliness into the top 20 states by 2017.
Citing the state’s traditionally low rankings, CBIA CEO John R. Rathgeber said it was time to reverse negative perceptions of Connecticut that make it harder to attract investments.
“It’s critical that all of us ”“ elected officials, businesses, employees, and residents ”“ come together and embrace the goal of moving the state into the top 20,” Rathgeber said in a press release. “We must address those weaknesses. If we don’t commit to improving our competitiveness, businesses will look to other states to invest, grow, and create jobs.”
CBIA is the state’s largest business organization, representing both small and large business interests.
The following is selection of CBIA’s key recommendations:
To control state spending, CBIA officials urged state employee contracts be brought in line with private sector wage and benefit standards.
On tax policy, the organization called for the elimination of caps on business tax credits, more “competitive” and consistent personal income and estate taxes, an end to business-to-business sales taxes, and expanded use of tax credits for employee training, among other initiatives.
To decrease the cost of doing business, the group argued legislators should reject any new mandates on employers such as an increase in the minimum wage. It also proposed a reform on unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation systems.
Similarly officials called for the rejection of any new health benefit mandate and the elimination of health mandates that are not cost justified.
The agenda included few spending endorsements, but encouraged the full use of available state and federal funding for transportation infrastructure improvements. To maximize the state’s “ideal location,” CBIA officials encouraged expanded highways, increased rail parking and better transit connectivity.
“Economic competitiveness doesn’t mean being the cheapest state in which to do business, it means being the best,” the agenda report said. “Connecticut can be one of the best if we nurture our strengths and address our weaknesses.”
The agenda also include environment, energy and manufacturing initiatives aimed at making the regulatory climate more user friendly.
