Senator Kane Calls For Annual Report On State’s Business Climate

Yearly Three-Page Report Would Describe Business Climate & Make Suggestions For Improvement

Senator Rob Kane (R-32) is calling for the General Assembly to pass legislation requiring the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to complete a brief annual report describing the state’s competitiveness as a place for business, and making recommendations for improvement.

Senator Kane is a co-sponsor of SB 50, An Act Concerning The Competitiveness Of Connecticut As A Place To Do Business, which was a subject of a recent public hearing before the General Assembly’s Commerce Committee. Senator Kane is a member of the Commerce Committee.

“All of us have heard stories about businesses leaving the state for various reasons; high taxes and high energy costs are just two of the reasons. In my district, numerous companies and manufacturers are scheduled to cease operations. While it is clear that some business closings around the state are due directly to the economic downturn, it is also clear that, if the state had a more favorable business climate, these closings could potentially be avoided,” said Senator Kane.

Under the proposed legislation the DECD Commissioner would begin no later than January 1, 2010 to submit a summary report to the Governor and the Commerce Committee evaluating the competitiveness of Connecticut as a place for business. The annual reports would be a maximum of three pages long and include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of how the programs and policies of state government affect the economy and business environment; the ability of the state to retain and attract businesses; steps taken by other states to improve their competitiveness as places for business; and programs and policies Connecticut could implement to improve its competitiveness as a place for business.

“I believe passage of this bill would help all of us not only to understand what exactly our business climate is, but also how to improve it,” said Senator Kane.

Senator Kane is co-sponsoring the proposed legislation with Senator L. Scott Frantz (R-36), who is the leading Republican Senator, or Ranking Member, on the Commerce Committee.