Florida Gov. Rick Scott came to Connecticut Monday with a simple message for business owners: “give up” on a state that has raised the income tax twice in the last six years and continues to face billions of dollars in deficits.
“My pitch is you should go ahead and give up … capitulate, and come to Florida and make it easier on yourselves,” Scott told an audience of about two dozen that included Republican state legislators who welcomed him for a day of visits with Fairfield County businesses he wants to convince to move south.
The Republican governor chided Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislators for being out of touch with the concerns of businesses in the state. Scott said he is constantly on the phone with businesses — large and small — asking how he can help them.
Scott’s staff handed out a glossy comparison chart titled “Florida vs. Connecticut” that noted, among things, how Florida has no income tax and is gaining population while Connecticut is shrinking.
“If you want to live in a place that has lower taxes, less regulations, has good universities, is less expensive, where there’s a greater chance your kids and grand kids are going to get a job, you’re going to be in Florida,” he said.
Scott’s visit comes weeks after Connecticut learned one of the state’s most iconic companies — Aetna Inc. — was searching for a new headquarters. That announcement was a blow to a state that has been struggling to bill itself as welcoming to businesses in the wake of the decampment of another major headquarters — General Electric — which relocated from Fairfield to Boston last year.
Malloy downplayed Scott’s visit as an ominous signal.
“People come to this state all the time,” he said. “He used to live in Connecticut so I welcome him back. … We reach out to companies in other states all the time.”
Malloy said he has visited one or more states for economic development as recently as this year but he would not name the last state he visited.
“Let’s revisit something, Sikorsky will be building a helicopter that was otherwise going to be built in Florida … but guess where it’s now going to be built? In Stratford, Connecticut,” he said. “So he’s probably hurting a little bit.”
Malloy was referring to the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter, which was part of the deal the governor struck last year with Sikorsky’s parent, Lockheed Martin, to keep work in Connecticut. The first six prototypes were made at Sikorsky’s plant in West Palm Beach.
“That’s a long-term project, and by the way Black Hawk orders are going up so we’ll have two lines devoted to the Black Hawk and two lines for the heavy lift, it’s a remarkable accomplishment,” he said. “Again, I’m sure he’s hurting.”
Malloy is head of the Democratic Governors Association and Scott is in line to lead the Republican Governors Association next year but he denied his visit to Connecticut was politically motivated.
“This is 100 percent about jobs,” Scott said. “Jobs should not be partisan.”
After visiting businesses today, Scott will remain in the area and is slated to headline the New York Republican Party’s annual fundraising gala Tuesday night in Manhattan.
Bart Shuldman, CEO of Transact Technologies Inc., a company that makes printers and software for restaurants and casinos, helped organize Scott’s appearance at the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center. He also brought Scott to Norwalk for a similar visit two years ago.
Shuldman said business owners in Connecticut are looking for one key thing: stability. Continual budget deficits have left them guessing what services might be cut or what new taxes might be implemented to bring the budget into balance. While Transact Technologies is based in Hamden, a recent expansion of the company took place at its office in Las Vegas.
“With the uncertainty of what the costs are in Connecticut I could not add more people here,” Shuldman said.
While Florida’s business climate is often ranked ahead of Connecticut, Connecticut leads in a variety of other categories including quality of health care and education and median income. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said Scott can’t take credit for much of Florida’s success.
“Anyone can look like a genius when you have a year-round average temperature of 82 degrees, 100 million annual visitors and a famous mouse, Mickey,” he said.
Democrats were roundly critical of the Republican legislators who attended Scott’s presentation, including Rep. Fred Camillo of Greenwich, Rep. Gail Lavielle of Wilton and Sen. Toni Boucher of Wilton.
“It is completely shocking and disappointing that my Republican colleagues would be in the same room when an out-of-state governor is trying to poach businesses from Connecticut,” said Duff. It “borders on treasonous,” he said.
Camillo defended his presence at the meeting and said to not listen to a successful governor would be “akin to sticking our heads in the sand.” He pointed out how Census figures show Florida is the most popular destination for residents leaving Connecticut.
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano urged businesses not to give up on the state and said the growing Republican ranks in the legislature were prepared to turn Connecticut around.
“I have a message for all the businesses and individuals who have been contacted and courted by Gov. Rick Scott. Do not give up on Connecticut. Our state is at a crossroads. We are facing a historic deficit,” said Fasano.
“Now is not the time to give up on Connecticut and leave.”
At least one company has rebuffed Scott’s advances. He asked for a meeting with executives at New Britain-headquartered Stanley Black & Decker Inc. as part of this week’s trip, but the company declined to meet with Scott.
Courant Staff Writer Dan Haar contributed to this story.
