10 Things for Connecticut

Return Connecticut to its place of prominence as an economic engine

Institute tax and regulatory policies that encourage small business development

Take advantage* of our geographic proximity to approximately 11million people within a 200 mile radius

Take advantage* of the unequaled educational institutions located in Connecticut

Focus on jobs not tax burdens

“Take advantage” means aggressively marketing the research and technical skills of our state and providing incentives for business/education inter-action.

Incentives to small business to hire in-state students

Build strong interaction between the community college system and the business community

Tuition incentives to students to work locally after graduation

Return integrity to the state budget by using funds for their original intention

Transportation taxes for transportation

Lottery revenue for education

Tobacco litigation award for tobacco awareness and education and targeted health care costs

Sportsman fees to support wildlife and resource management

Clean energy fees for clean energy projects.

End unfunded mandates

Increase local control and accountability

Take advantage of our New England roots…local service, provided by neighbors we know and trust, administered by the most accountable system available, local elections.

Leave more of the tax revenues with those who pay taxes and make those who spend it be more accountable.

Take advantage of the efficiencies of local government and voluntary regional structures to improve delivery of service.

Institute “Charter Agencies” – pilot programs that focus on a desired outcome with freedom to cut the red tape.

Identify desired outcome (build a bridge, complete physicals for every child, etc.)

Identify key considerations

Demand excellence and value in service above all Benchmark success

Expand or contract program based on outcome

Defend and protect the quality of life Connecticut has long been known for

Staff and protect our natural resources, parks, forests, beaches

Encourage the use of clean fuel technologies, especially those developed in Connecticut.

Encourage the arts through education and local support

Put family and education at the center of every social program

Success for every person in Connecticut is predicated on a successful childhood and successful education.

Education and training requirements for social services, incarceration with incentives/disincentives

Address Connecticut’s population challenges

Encourage our young people to stay through strong education opportunities and scholarship programs, employment and quality of life opportuni-ties.

Take advantage of immigration trends that have resulted from the aging of the Connecticut population.

Institute pension programs that rely on employee funding

Improve health care in the state

Identify who is not covered and why

Focus on the individual care not the bureaucracy to institute the care

Long Term Care support so elders can age in place instead of being institutionalized at much higher costs to the state.

Improved government efficiencies by

Focusing on needs and resources

Eliminating departmental “information silos” resulting in redundancies in effort

Repealing outdated, redundant, obstructive legislation.