Donald E. Williams, Jr.

Senate President Williams Begins Rollout of 2012 Jobs Agenda

Democratic plan focuses on expanding loans and credits to more companies, promoting state businesses, growing jobs for veterans

WILLIMANTIC—Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn) held a news conference today at Design Center East, a Willimantic small business—just two weeks before the start of the 2012 legislative session—to announce the Senate Democrats new, 5-point jobs plan that will help local, small businesses protect and grow jobs and boost Connecticut’s economy.

Citing job growth as the top priority for Senate Democrats this year, Senators Williams detailed their plans to build on the momentum created by the comprehensive and far-reaching jobs bill passed during October’s special session. One of their new proposals expands existing state business loans and grants to an additional 2,600 local companies.

“As Connecticut continues its economic recovery, the legislature must continue its focus on growing jobs, helping businesses expand and assisting people who have lost a job find permanent, new employment,” said Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn). “By significantly expanding our Small Business Express Program, we can build on the solid foundation of the October jobs bill and continue to put Connecticut residents back to work.”

The Senate Democrats’ 5-point jobs plan includes:

1. Expanding the definition of a ‘small business’ from 50 employees to 100 employees, thereby making them eligible for the Small Business Express Program and other programs created during the October special session. More than 2,600 additional businesses would now be eligible for $180 million in state-funded business loans and grants under the expanded definition. The funds, divided over two years, are available to state businesses for new job creation incentives, increasing financial assistance for small businesses and for training assistance. Small businesses (100 or fewer employees) are real job creators in Connecticut, employing over 60 percent of the state’s total workforce. The Small Business Express Program supports the retention and growth of small business in Connecticut through a combination of loans and grants, incorporating a streamlined process that provides financial assistance in the form of revolving loan funds, job creation incentives and matching grants. “For companies like AdChem Manufacturing Technologies, which are close to the 50-employee mark and which are looking to expand, this proposed extension of the Small Business Express Program to 100 employees would benefit us greatly,” AdChem President Michael Polo said today.

“There are many challenges to running any business,” said Michael Weitz, Owner of Design Center East. “But, for a small business it can be even harder because we do not generate the job numbers of the larger businesses. However, as a small business we feel that our employees are assets, not liabilities and believe that they are an integral part of our success.”

2. Expanding Step-Up (Subsidized Training and Employment Program) to give businesses incentive grants to hire post-9/11 combat veterans returning from overseas. The Step-Up program already promotes job creation and worker opportunity for Connecticut small businesses and the unemployed by subsidizing certain new employee training and employment with $20 million in state aid over two years; the proposed expansion of the program would specifically help veterans. It was recently reported that nationally, the average unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 is 30 percent, more than double the unemployment rate of non-veterans of the same age. According to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans in Connecticut in 2010 was 15.5 percent, compared with 11.5 percent nationally. For all veterans, the unemployment figure in Connecticut in 2010 was 9.2 percent, compared with 8.7 percent nationally.
3. Creating a ‘Connecticut Made’ marketing campaign to spur local businesses, both production and retail. The campaign would be administered by the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), which would create a logo; develop a marketing campaign to include logo-based advertising for placement in store fronts and at fairs and markets; a Web site; and create membership criteria for businesses. Businesses that join the program would be given access to use of logo, tags for products, inclusion in marketing campaigns (including fairs and The Big E), marketing and business advice from the Small Business Office of DECD, and promotional and marketing outreach and printed materials.
4. Preventing discrimination against the unemployed. Statutory changes would prohibit employers from discriminating against job applicants simply because they are unemployed, including preventing employment agencies and Web sites from carrying advertisements for job openings that specifically exclude the unemployed. The federal Labor Department reports that 14 million Americans are currently unemployed, almost half of them classified as ‘long-term unemployed,’ having been out of work for 27 weeks or more. In the current economy, some employers are taking advantage of the high jobless rate by discriminating against the unemployed, going as far as to say “unemployed need not apply” in their job postings, or offering jobs only to those who are either currently employed or very recently unemployed.
5. Creating a ‘Connecticut Treasures’ program. Connecticut has a wealth of educational and tourist destinations, and the state DECD would be tasked with promoting places such as Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, Connecticut Science Center, Stepping Stones Museum and Dinosaur State Park. The state Department of Education could simultaneously develop a model curriculum for all public schools that incorporates the use of these destinations.

That October jobs bill (Public Act 11-1), which passed the General Assembly on an overwhelming and bipartisan 181-2 vote, includes:

• $10 million investment for towns to improve commercial centers
• Cutting the business entity tax in half, saving state businesses $20 million
• Providing funds for small businesses to expand, since banks aren’t lending
• Increase government efficiency by streamlining processes, and eliminating or consolidating excessive regulations
• Expanding and lowering the Angel Investment Tax Credit threshold to a minimum $25,000 investment
• Enhanced educational offerings to match employer needs, with a focus on manufacturing
• Investment of $50 million in shovel-ready, “Fix-It-First” bridge repair and replacement

For more on the October jobs bills, please visit our Grow Jobs Web page or download our summary of the 2011 Jobs Special Session.