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Two major bills aimed at boosting job creation in Connecticut have passed the legislature in a special session. WNPR’s Harriet Jones reports.
Lawmakers Wednesday approved a $626 million effort to revamp Connecticut’s economic development strategy. Among other measures the jobs bill contains a grant and loan program for small businesses, plans to streamline state regulation, new approaches to workforce development and tax credits for hiring the long-term unemployed. House Majority leader Brendan Sharkey.
“Connecticut has to make itself ready and open for the things that will create the jobs that we need. We need to be open for business, we need to be sympathetic about those who are under and unemployed, we need to coordinate our resources and focus our attention on how best to accomplish the goal.”
The bill was the result of many weeks of bipartisan negotiations. In the event it passed with a near unanimous display of support -- just one vote against it in the House and one in the Senate. House Minority Leader Larry Cafero says he hopes that spirit of cooperation can continue.
“Our biggest challenge is, will our effort with regard to creating jobs just be this one brief, shining moment, or will it be a commitment on the part of all of us as we move forward to help the people we represent, in the state we live in and love, be a little better.”
But bipartisanship disappeared quickly as both legislative bodies debated the more controversial of the two measures included in the special session. This approves a $291 million incentive to genetics research institute The Jackson Labs to bring a new facility to Farmington. Its supporters say in addition to the 300 promised jobs, it could spin off as many as six thousand additional jobs and propel Connecticut to the forefront of the bioscience industry. Senator Gary Le Beau, co chair of the Commerce Committee urged lawmakers,
To have a vision about the future of the state of Connecticut. To plant those seeds and to have a great forest of innovation, high technology and good jobs, good, good jobs – high paying jobs for the people of the state of Connecticut.
But Republicans say they’re concerned about the cost of the deal, and whether the state has enough guarantees if the effort is unsuccessful. Senator Scott Franz accused the Governor of trying to rush the legislation through without proper scrutiny.
“This has been moving along at a locomotive pace. The train has left the station. It’s doing 200 miles an hour and it’s one that we somehow have to slow down. There is no real rush. This is a major, major decision. There is no real rush to do this today or tomorrow for that matter. We have to do more due diligence.”
In the event, the bill passed the House and Senate on a vote that was largely along party lines, but for eight House republicans who broke with their party to back the deal.
For WNPR, I'm Harriet Jones.