PISCOPO OP-ED: MAKE DOING BUSINESS IN CT EASIER…

In the interest of getting Connecticut back to work and assist businesses in being able to grow, I along with the House Republican Caucus have proposed several job creation and business development initiatives when the legislature goes into Special Session on October 26th for what Governor Malloy has called the Jobs Session.

Since I was first elected, I have continually advocated for the State Legislature to make Connecticut a friendlier place to do business. Right now the loops and obstacles government makes business go through on a daily basis create a major impediment for them to be successful.

Some of the necessary changes we need to make are to expedite the state permit approval process. Let’s establish a 90-day maximum period for state review and action on permit applications. The state can direct all state agencies to expedite any completed viable permits and funding applications within 60 days.

This would include establishing and publishing new expedited review schedules for economic development assistance and creating a marketing campaign of these schedules, demonstrating that Connecticut is Open for Business.

Another idea to promote job creation would be to place a moratorium on any new regulations that would diminish efforts to maintain and/or grow the state’s economy, by requiring that any regulation submitted by a state agency for approval by the Regulations Review Committee be accompanied by a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the costs and benefits of each regulation.

It is also time to utilize technology to track and monitor the permitting process. This practice will ensure that permits do not get lost or delayed in the convoluted process and bureaucracy.

Its time for Connecticut to establish two separate categories of state regulations, not one overburdened system one category would include permits that regulate activities that are potentially dangerous or could cause direct harm. The second category will include guidelines to be followed by companies for activities that could be detrimental but are not potentially dangerous. In both cases, violations would be subject to fines or other penalties.

Far too often, it is small businesses that are disproportionately impacted by all these regulations, permits, and inspections. Document costs and environmental benefits based on the discussions with the regulated that occur during the development process. Agencies should assign staff to serve as partners in the regulatory process to guide and educate businesses instead of harassing and discouraging them.

Let’s work together in a bi-partisan fashion to help make these common sense changes.

If you would like to comment on this or other issues of concern to you please do so by contacting my office at 1-800-842-1423 or visiting my website www.cthousegop.com. I would love to hear from you.