Lawmakers, Take Notice: Connecticut’s Jobs Problem Continues

Connecticut’s latest jobs report should be an urgent call to action for the legislature, the state’s largest business organization said today.

“We’ve had some very troubling job numbers over the last two months,” said CBIA president and CEO Joe Brennan.

The state Department of Labor revised January’s initially reported 1,000 job gain down to a 2,500 job loss, with a further 400 lost positions in February, Connecticut’s recently released final 2018 employment numbers also made dramatic revisions, with the initial 19,000 job gain revised down nearly 50% to 10,000. The initial private sector gain of 23,100 jobs was revised down to 9,700.

“These numbers confirm that Connecticut is still mired in low economic growth and job creation, well below the national average and much of the New England region,” Brennan said.

“Lawmakers should be alarmed by the fact that the national economy is growing and Connecticut has only gained back 80% of the jobs lost in the last recession, and they need to act accordingly.

“There are so many agendas right now that call for higher costs, for more mandates, and more regulatory burdens.

“All of these proposals will only exacerbate the job growth problem.

“Legislators must focus on what they can do to grow our economy and not further slow it down.”