To ring in the new General Assembly session, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) has announced its 2013 legislative agenda.
Among the series of recommendations made, CBIA urged lawmakers to reduce government spending by streamlining government functions and negotiating additional modification to state employees’ retirement benefits.
Additionally, the association would like to see a simpler and more predictable tax policy, a reduced mandate on health benefits, upgraded infrastructure, and further progress made on the state’s energy and education plans.
“Setting appropriate spending priorities and efficiently using state tax dollars will energize business investment,” said John R. Rathgeber, CBIA CEO, in a press release. “If we”™re going to fix our economy, we must deal with our fiscal issues without further increases in taxes and fees.”
According to CBIA, state government spending has increased 153 percent since 1992, outpacing inflation, poplation and the median income growth.
“Only by improving Connecticut”™s competiveness can good jobs be created and sustained,” Rathgeber said. “And that starts with giving employers the confidence to increase their investments in the state and grow their businesses here.”
