Session’s Goals Must Be Realized

Governor Malloy focused on three major themes in his State of the State Address today, and all three reflect the concerns of many in the business community.
First, he talked about the continued need to exercise fiscal responsibility, and how state government has to get leaner, more effective and more efficient.
Second, the governor emphasized how critically important private-sector investment is to creating jobs in Connecticut and in ensuring the state has a viable future.
And third, he spoke at length about how business-as-usual can’t continue in our public education system.
For too long, we have failed our young people in preparing them for productive lives in a global economy. As a result, we’ve put Connecticut employers at risk for not having enough skilled workers to propel their businesses and our economy.
We agree on all of these points.
The question is, what’s next?
Will the legislature have the political will to exercise fiscal responsibility, help create a better climate for business investment, and make meaningful reforms to our public education system?
This, of course, is just the beginning of the session. Details about how to achieve these goals have to be sorted out.
Many of the governor’s proposals will win bipartisan support and others will be debated at length.
But we hope that those things that most affect the private sector’s ability to put people back to work will be addressed in a bipartisan manner, as was done in the successful jobs session last fall.