JNEN was extremely heartened this week when we read the comments made by George Jepsen, the Democractic candidate for attorney general, in a recent interview with the Manchest Journal Inquirer. The full article is available online to subscribers of the publication, but within the highlights there were a few that caught our attention:
- Jepsen said that after spending the last three months in meetings he had initiated with various corporate officials, he was determined to help “correct” the perception that Connecticut is a bad place to do business.
- Jepsen during the hourlong interview also criticized the state’s economic development efforts, saying they have been ineffective and, in some cases, antagonistic to business.
- [Jepsen said] “I’m less prone to litigate, I’m more into problem-solving…Before we go after somebody, we want to have a conversation.”
These comments are a breath of fresh air from the harsh and cynical views that have become all too common from some of our state leaders over the past decade. As we have said before, the current business environment in the state has become far too grim to spur economic development and job growth in the state. Connecticut has become known as a state that looks to penalize companies before it helps them. It’s no wonder why companies are choosing to either open up their doors elsewhere, or shut them down completely and take their jobs with them.
Therefore, the comments from Mr. Jepsen, were a welcome sign to members of the business community who are looking for a region that can provide them an opportunity to become profitable and provide more positions of employment to the hardworking residents of the state. Companies are not looking for a free-ride, or a pass on measures that keep the public safe. They are looking for a region that will allow them to succeed and grow their business. Whether Mr. Jepsen is our next attorney general is not the point, but whether others will recognize that our state policymakers need to be more welcoming to our business community and willing to work with them is of the utmost importance.
