From the Commissioner’s Desk
Connecticut got some great news recently when CVS announced it will keep Aetna in Hartford following their acquisition of the company – and establish Hartford as the merged entity’s “center of excellence for insurance.” Previously, Aetna had planned to move its headquarters to New York. That’s a big vote of confidence. And we appreciate that CVS understood the depth and breadth of industry know-how in our state.
And, while we were disappointed by the news that Connecticut did not make Amazon’s top 20 sites for its HQ2, Amazon’s feedback was clear: our application was strong; we’re doing all the right things in the state; and we would be an ideal location for a smaller corporate headquarters.
These outside observations reinforce the fact that we cannot let up on our efforts to improve our economy. One of those efforts is the work of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth, created as part of the recently enacted state budget, which on March 1 will issue its recommendations for stabilizing state finances and promoting the state’s competitiveness.
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to discuss the state’s economic-development strategy with the commission. Its members, many of whom lead major Connecticut companies, are faced with a daunting task: they must come up with actionable ideas – all in a two-month period! Based on our interactions and the high quality of the questions and suggestions they are discussing, I believe their ideas, if acted upon, will have a positive impact on our state’s economy and help us to keep moving in the right direction.
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