Senate Leadership
October 13, 2009
Legislative Majority Leaders Host Roundtable on Economic Development
Senator Looney says successful meeting is first of many to come on strengthening Connecticut’s economy and building jobs
State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and House Majority Leader Rep. Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield) hosted a forum in the Legislative Office Building today on economic development and job growth in Connecticut, along with Senator Gary LeBeau (D-East Hartford), other legislative leaders, economic scholars, government officials and representatives from a variety of business organizations.
Today’s meeting of the minds is to be the group’s first in a series of gatherings on how best to set a strategic direction to create jobs in Connecticut, strengthen the state’s economy, and lay the groundwork for stable growth over the long term.
“I am very hopeful that our discussions today will generate new ideas to help create jobs and stimulate Connecticut’s economy,” said Senator Looney. “Solving these problems will take effort in a variety of areas, including improvements in secondary and post secondary education, and a movement toward regionalism in providing local government services.”
“Our state faces a number of barriers to economic growth, including a lack of investment in new business ventures, energy costs that are too high, and perhaps most of all, a need for a team effort spanning multiple levels of government and members of the business community to help Connecticut set a new direction for growth,” said Senator LeBeau, co-chairman of the legislature’s Commerce Committee.
“We need a cultural change in Connecticut, a move toward a postindustrial society with an ethos of sharing all information. We must work together and not keep our knowledge in separate silos. By cooperating, we can achieve more and innovate more than we ever could on our own,” said Matt Nemerson, President of the Connecticut Technology Council.
Other attendees at today’s roundtable event included:
- Rep. Peggy Sayers, Deputy Majority Leader
- Rep. Chris Perone, Assistant Majority Leader
- Rep. Jeff Berger, House Chairman, Commerce Committee
- Fred Carstensen, CT Center for Economic Analysis
- Chris Bruhl, Business Council of Fairfield County
- Oz Griebal, Metro Hartford Alliance
- Ed Marth, AAUP-UConn
- Bill Cibes, Chancellor Emeritus of CSU system, former Secretary of OPM
- Dave Pepin, Independent Venture Capital and Private Equity Professional
- Mike Meotti, Commissioner of Dept. of Higher Education
- Richard Cole, CT Education Academy
- Lyle Wray, Capitol Region Council of Governments
- Matt Nemerson, CT Technology Center
- John Meyers, Consultant, World Affairs Council
- Karla Fox, UConn School of Business
- Bob Tessier, CT Coalition of Taft-Hartley Health Funds
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Senator Williams’ Derek Slap |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Derek Slap |
