Senator McKinney’s Statement on Legislative Democrats’ Jobs Pledge

State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield): “Connecticut Democrats have made a number of hollow promises on jobs for a number of years, but despite overwhelming majorities in the legislature, they haven’t created any jobs. In fact: Connecticut employs fewer people today than it did 25 years ago; around 60,000 Connecticut residents have dropped out of the workforce since Governor Malloy took office; our state economy is shrinking; and our unemployment rate remains above the national average.

“Speaker Sharkey and Senate President Williams need to understand that they will never have a successful jobs agenda until they get serious about creating a tax and regulatory environment that encourages economic growth. To date, they have failed to do so. In just the past three years, they passed the largest tax hike in state history, as well as job-killing employer mandates like paid sick leave and the corporate tax surcharge. The reciprocal negative effect of these policies continues to mitigate the positive impact of our bipartisan jobs legislation. We cannot continue to take one step forward and two steps back. ”

Senator McKinney noted that Senator Williams, in particular, tends to put a premium on job creation in election years. The title, “Senate Bill One” is typically reserved for the Senate President’s most important public initiative in a given legislative session. Here is a list of the promises and the fates of Senate Bill Ones over the past eight years. Election years in bold:

2013 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS FROM VIOLENCE

• To protect children, families and other individuals from violence by (1) strengthening provisions concerning the sale, possession and transfer of firearms, assault weapons and ammunition, and (2) enacting other measures to enhance safety in schools, residences and the community
• Bill died in Judiciary

2012 – AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT JOBS AND THE ECONOMY

• Expands existing workforce and small business development programs, creates programs for hiring certain unemployed veterans and promoting the state’s economic and cultural assets, and makes it a discriminatory employment practice to advertise job openings in a way that discriminates against unemployed people.
• Bill died in the House without a vote, many provisions implemented elsewhere

2011 – AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT’S ENERGY FUTURE

• Big energy bill
• Bill died, many provisions implemented elsewhere

2010 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRESERVATION AND CREATION OF JOBS IN CONNECTICUT

• New tax on TARP bonuses
• Passed, vetoed by Governor Rell

2009 – AN ACT CONCERNING ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR CONNECTICUT FAMILIES

• Requires comptroller to establish a 401(K) for small businesses.
• Died on Senate Floor without a vote

2008 – AN ACT CONCERNING AN EMERGENCY RELIEF PLAN FOR CONNECTICUT FAMILIES THROUGH TAX REDUCTIONS

• Tax cuts/credits for taxpayers and businesses
• Did get a public hearing in Finance

2007 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE HEALTHFIRST CONNECTICUT INITIATIVE

• Billion dollar healthcare spending bill
• Died on Senate Floor without a vote

2006 – AN ACT CONCERNING JOBS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

• Tax cuts for manufacturers
• Died on Senate Floor without a vote

2005 – AN ACT CREATING THE OFFICE OF STATE ETHICS AND THE CITIZEN’S ETHICS ADVISORY BOARD

• Establishes the Office of State Ethics
• Passed