Finally, the concession agreement is a done deal.
Amid all the carnage — the twisted arms, the hurt feelings, the taxpayer anger, the 3,000 or so state workers who have to live with being told they are expendable, the lost year of governance — there is an overwhelming sense of relief.
With the giveback of what Governor Malloy’s team calculates at $1.6 billion in pay and benefits, the state is free to claim its biennial budget is balanced and move ahead.
And what’s directly ahead is the special session designed to directly address job creation.
Remember jobs?
That was the top priority a year ago when the economy was in the dumps and people were struggling. Every candidate vowed to focus on jobs, but none got the real chance. The whole show was preempted by the melodrama of balancing the budget and prying what can only be described as a starter set of givebacks from the state employee unions.
In noting approval of the concession agreement, Malloy was wise to point out that the deal represents just a beginning of the long process of reinventing Connecticut’s government. He rightly points to the larger savings — $21.5 billion over 20 years — with pride. If we actually realize savings anywhere near that sum, Malloy will have made an historic leap forward.
Still, there’s much more work to be done on the budget. “Make no mistake: I am committed to continuing to reduce the size, scope and cost of state government.” Malloy said. And Connecticut taxpayers will be watching his next steps.
But now the focus swings back to jobs and the economy, back to Square One.
The economy is still sour; unemployment still tops 9 percent but now the end of benefits is in view for thousands of the long-term jobless; the feds are tapped out trying to help; nonprofits are doing a booming business in services if not in donations. Malloy has a new economic development team in place and we’ve thrown millions at three companies to create some Connecticut jobs that, in all likelihood, they would have created anyway.
But are we any better off? And do we really have a plan to grow jobs and improve our economy?
Clearly, the answers are no and not yet.
Malloy gets a chance to reboot his governorship with this special session and he needs to start it off with a crystal clear enunciation of a plan that will bring change. That’s a tall order. But if he’s heard anything along his most recent listening tour it’s that the business community regards the state as hostile to its interests. Too much regulation. Too many mandates. An uncompetitive cost of energy and labor. And then there are the taxes.
Only the latter can fairly be placed at Malloy’s feet, although he’ll own it all if the issues go unaddressed into the second year of his administration. He is in a position now to move forward with charting a course to address all of it.
While the public spotlight has been on the budget deal, Team Malloy has had ample time and space to give serious thought to jobs and the economy. It’s time for them to stand and deliver.
Lots of options seem on the table. We’re hopeful that the topic of regulatory reform gets a day in the sun. Running a rake through some of the weeds that have grown up in this garden would be welcome relief to business. So would finding a way to pump some additional money into Connecticut Innovations and other programs designed to get business the capital they need to grow here. But we’re not convinced repeating the ‘First Five’ incentive program is the answer, based on results so far.
Talk about jobs and improving the business climate is cheap. Now it’s time for action. And leadership.
