House GOP Reps. Candelora & Weir on CT Labor Report
Vincent Candelora and Steve Weir cite flat job growth and major labor-force losses in Connecticut’s March jobs report and blame Democrats for high energy costs and lack of tax relief.
Key Takeaways
- Candelora and Weir warn job growth has been flat for a year
- Connecticut lost more than 20,000 workers over 12 months, including 7,900 in March
- GOP leaders blame Democrats for high energy costs and expanding regulations
- House Republicans call for tax relief to help residents and new graduates stay and work
HARTFORD—House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) and Rep. Steve Weir (R-Hebron), Housing Ranking Member of the Labor Committee, released the following statement Tuesday in response to the March jobs report released by the Connecticut Department of Labor:
"Job growth has been flat for a year. Connecticut's labor force has shed more than 20,000 workers over the last 12 months—7,900 in March alone. At some point, our Democrat colleagues, especially those on the Labor Committee, need to ask themselves what they’ve done to address Connecticut’s economic and workforce crises. The answer? not much.
Neither the Governor nor the legislature has tackled the energy costs crushing employers and workers alike. The push to pile on new regulations always outpaces any serious effort to roll back policies driving up operating costs. With one hand, Democrats inflate the cost of doing business, making it harder for employers to grow and hire. With the other, they take away the flexibility businesses need to find efficiencies and manage their workforce. It's completely self-defeating. On top of that, Democrats have provided no direct tax relief in the just-passed budget adjustments to make it more affordable for residents or new college graduates to stay here and take the thousands of jobs employers desperately need filled.
This report should be an opportunity for Democrat self-reflection, but history tells us it won't be. Republicans have fought to limit the damage this session, watering down the worst proposals, but that's the only modest win employers can claim. Connecticut's economy is stuck in neutral, and workers and employers are running out of paths to opportunity because of it."