Excerpts from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy”™s midterm budget address.
“A little more than a year ago, on the day I was sworn in as your governor, Connecticut was staring into the abyss of a future none of us wanted. A combination of years of avoiding tough decisions here in Hartford and the financial meltdown on Wall Street had brought Connecticut to its knees ”¦
In short, we were facing a crisis of massive proportions ”¦
One year later, it turns out that by taking that less-traveled road we have passed through the crucible of that crisis. In the process, we”™ve brought positive, far-reaching, meaningful and systemic change to Hartford ”¦
And a few months after we did all of that, we changed the way politics too often works by coming together as Democrats and Republicans to pass what I believe is the most comprehensive jobs package in the nation in a special session ”¦
Where do we go from here? We could simply continue the work we began 13 months ago and just keep at it. And if we did that, I believe we would continue to make some progress. But I believe it”™s time to do something different ”¦
It is time for us to lead again. Let”™s think big. Let”™s be bold. Today, I am challenging the people in this chamber and business leaders across the state to join me in committing to build nothing less than a full-scale economic revival.
Not a recovery ”“ a revival.
When I speak of a vision for an economic revival, what do I see? I see a Connecticut in 10 years that is a leader in bioscience and personalized medicine. I see a Connecticut that leads in precision manufacturing. I see a Connecticut that is home to a reinvigorated insurance industry and I see a Connecticut that is a Mecca for digital and sports entertainment.
I see a Connecticut ”¦ where there are many, many jobs ”¦ that people will come to Connecticut to find, instead of leaving Connecticut to look for.
And I see a Connecticut with public schools that are the envy of the nation ”“ graduating students ready to be hired for those jobs here at home ”¦
In order to make this happen I believe there are three things we need to do.
First, we need to maintain the fiscal discipline we imposed a year ago. That discipline has made Connecticut a more predictable, reliable, stable place in which to do business. It”™s given the private sector the confidence it needs to make investments and create thousands of new jobs.
Second, we need to continue to make sure the entire world knows Connecticut is open for business.
Third, we need to reform the public school system that educates our children.
And we need to commit to this vision and implement it ”“ year after year, until we get it right.
That”™s been one of our problems for too long ”“ we”™re good at making plans, we”™re not good at sticking to them. Too often we”™ve found ourselves simply careening from idea to idea, with no clear roadmap to guide us.
Not anymore ”¦
This economic revival will not happen overnight ”“ it can”™t. You can”™t undo 22 years of economic stagnation in one year. This is a long-term plan, designed to produce short and long-term results.
This time, let”™s have the resolve to stick it out ”¦
If you”™ve learned nothing else about me in the past 13 months, I hope you”™ve learned this: I do what I say I”™m going to do, and I do what I think is right for Connecticut, irrespective of the political consequences.”
