You can tell it's an election year around here. Nearly every time I turn on the television, I see an ad touting the "wonderful" business climate in New York or in Connecticut. New York's campaign is far larger than Connecticut's. Governor Cuomo's ad agency is telling New Yorkers how the Empire State is one of the great success stories for job growth, location of new business and attracting investment in the nation. Of course, in a recent study of business conditions, New York was ranked lowest among all 50 states in business hospitality. The regulatory, tax and other factors considered placed New York as the worst possible place to invest. Nevertheless, that does not stop the ads that proclaim the exact opposite.
Connecticut's ads tell us that it is the fourth best place for scientific research and the fifth best place for something else. They convey the impression that the state's economy is growing by leaps and bounds. The truth is that Connecticut has had just about the slowest job growth of any state for the last 15 years. Taxes have been raised to the point where people and businesses are leaving the state. The regulatory climate has been made more rather than less complex. Even in areas where Connecticut used to have great success, the state has lost its edge. But governor Malloy's people are still advertising the exact opposite.
It should be no surprise that the incumbent governors who are running for re-election should try to paint a picture that shows conditions much better than they actually are. That is part of politics. The problem, however, is that these are not campaign commercials. Both in New York and in Connecticut, the ads are being run by the state government and they are paid for by the taxpayers. In essence, the people of NY and CT are paying the cost of the Cuomo and Malloy re-election campaigns; they are paying to have the state government lie to them.
Let's be clear about one important point here. The economic conditions in New York and Connecticut are not good at the moment. They have not been good for years. New York state outside of New York City is in a seemingly permanent spiral of economic decline. Connecticut outside of Fairfield County has seen no growth in its economy for a long, long time. Jobs and population are fleeing both areas. Instead of running false commercials, the state governments need to take action to bring new businesses and investments into the stagnant areas of both states. That might help. Phony commercials will not.
Connecticut's ads tell us that it is the fourth best place for scientific research and the fifth best place for something else. They convey the impression that the state's economy is growing by leaps and bounds. The truth is that Connecticut has had just about the slowest job growth of any state for the last 15 years. Taxes have been raised to the point where people and businesses are leaving the state. The regulatory climate has been made more rather than less complex. Even in areas where Connecticut used to have great success, the state has lost its edge. But governor Malloy's people are still advertising the exact opposite.
It should be no surprise that the incumbent governors who are running for re-election should try to paint a picture that shows conditions much better than they actually are. That is part of politics. The problem, however, is that these are not campaign commercials. Both in New York and in Connecticut, the ads are being run by the state government and they are paid for by the taxpayers. In essence, the people of NY and CT are paying the cost of the Cuomo and Malloy re-election campaigns; they are paying to have the state government lie to them.
Let's be clear about one important point here. The economic conditions in New York and Connecticut are not good at the moment. They have not been good for years. New York state outside of New York City is in a seemingly permanent spiral of economic decline. Connecticut outside of Fairfield County has seen no growth in its economy for a long, long time. Jobs and population are fleeing both areas. Instead of running false commercials, the state governments need to take action to bring new businesses and investments into the stagnant areas of both states. That might help. Phony commercials will not.
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