With the close of the 2010 General Assembly session on May 5, Connecticut”™s political storyline now turns to what promises to be a hectic final push to the November elections.
State lawmakers running for reelection and their challengers will now be in full campaign mode, and a host of candidates are competing in open-seat races for U.S. Senate, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and secretary of the state.
The Republican and Democratic parties will hold their conventions to endorse candidates for all those offices, followed by the party primaries on Aug. 10 and the elections on Nov. 2.
This time around, there”™s a lot at stake. The state”™s long-term fiscal problems, high unemployment and still-struggling economy make this election one of the most important in memory ”“ and one of the best opportunities for Connecticut”™s business community to make a difference.
What you can do
You and your employees can play a central role in this year”™s election by vocally and visibly backing candidates who know what it takes to run a business in Connecticut and understand that the state”™s economy will not improve without a tax and regulatory climate that fosters business investment and job creation. Nothing is more important to building a positive business climate than streamlining, downsizing and restoring long-term fiscal discipline to state government.
As a business community, we need to support candidates who are 100 percent committed to making that happen. And we need to be mindful of ”“ and comply with ”“ campaign finance and ethics laws, which have undergone major changes in the past few years.
Two of the most effective ways to get involved in this year”™s election process are:
becoming active in your Republican or Democratic town committee ?(go to www.ctdems.org for contact information); and
inviting candidates to visit your company, meet with you and your employees and hear firsthand how elected officials ”“ especially state legislators ”“ can help businesses like yours compete in a tough economy.
To arrange a candidate visit to your company, contact CBIA”™s public affairs department at 860-244-1900.
Joseph F. Brennan is senior vice president of public policy at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association in Hartford.
