Office Hours Cookout a Huge Success

More than 40 people turned out as State Represenative Dave Yaccarino hosted another successful office hours event- this time a friendly cookout- in front of the McDonald’s restaurant on Washington Avenue.

Rep. Yaccarino hosts the monthly meetings to allow North Haven residents to stop by and ask questions, share their concerns or just to say hello. Last night, many of the questions Rep. Yaccarino fielded related to Gov. Malloy’s $40.1 billion budget and the subsequent $4 billion in tax and fee increases and the increases in income and sales taxes. Under Malloy’s budget the income tax will be raised retroactively to January 1, 2011, and the state’s sales tax will increase from 6% to 6.35%.

Aside from the budget questions and complaints Rep. Yaccarino also heard from many who turned out about the Connecticut’s weak job market and the state’s job growth policies.

Connecticut businesses are not going to move into the state with these new policies being put into place, Rep. Yaccarino said. Specifically, he said the anti-business mandatory paid sick days law along with the increased cost of energy and taxes will force Connecticut companies to close their doors and leave the state while at the same time deterring new companies from locating here.

Connecticut has not gained one net new job in 23 years and is the worst state in the country in terms of job growth.

One of the handouts rep. Yaccarino provided during the event compares the new state budget with a Republican alternative budget that was presented this past April. The proposed Republican plan reduced overall state spending and did not increase taxes on Connecticut’s residents.