A November economic summit organized by the Connecticut Conference on Municipalities, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, and the Connecticut AFL-CIO has issued a set of recommendations for the legislature to implement. Chief among them are a transportation fund lockbox, more transparency on budget implementation, and the use of business incentives for workforce development.
In total, more than 20 recommendations were made. Here are some of the recommendations, broken down by topic, the summit made that seek specific action:
Taxes and Regulations
- Reform the process for the “implementer” bill for the state budget to bring back greater transparency and avoid unvetted state law.
- Establish an advisory council across business, labor and municipalities to define, create and report on specific metrics that can assess the best pathways to grow jobs in Connecticut.
Education and Workforce Development
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- Reformulate the education cost sharing grant program for towns and cities and local public schools to create a more transparent and equitable funding formula.
- Give priority to community college affordability and strengthen their community college links to high school programs across the state.
Transportation and Infrastructure
- Establish and maintain a “lock box” to ensure adequate and sustained funding for necessary transportation projects.
- Prioritize congestion relief when choosing transportation projects to pursue.
- Apply a cost-benefit analysis test for pursuing transportation improvements.
Regional Solutions
- Provide a clear and streamlined process for consolidation and closing of public schools with inadequate enrollment.
- Provide towns with municipal-revenue diversification options.
- Increase financial incentives for municipal-service collaboration and provide predictable state financial support.
Quality of Life Matters
- Fund and clean Brownfields for development.
- Renew and develop strategic affordable housing plans.
