Interesting piece in today’s Hartford Courant about the legislative majority’s proposed tax plan to help curtail Connecticut’s forecasted budget deficits. As the article states, the plan looks to help keep Connecticut “above water and avoid public employee job cuts,” but at the same time it could have a devastating effect on businesses throughout the region. In fact, the plan could spur more job losses and create an even more unattractive environment for businesses looking to succeed in our state.
Jobs for New England Now understands that difficult decisions will need to be made by policymakers in the next several months to address the budget problems, but solutions that put an even greater tax burden on businesses and their ability to maintain jobs for Connecticut residents is not the answer. We need to find ways to encourage businesses to stay in the state and allow them to keep their doors open. As our own Co-Chair Stephen Bull points out in the piece, companies are already “acting defensively” by instituting four-day work weeks and furloughs. Unfortunately, if they face an even greater load to carry, Bull points out that there will not be much for businesses to do, “but cut jobs, relocate or simply shut down.”
As state policymakers on both sides of the aisle consider their next moves, Jobs for New England Now encourages them to examine every angle of how their decisions will help keep jobs in the state and provide a more business-friendly atmosphere for businesses to want to enter our region.
The full article in today’s Courant can be seen here: http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-state-taxes-business.artapr16,0,2927739.story
