U.S. Representative Jim Himes, D-CT4, weighed in on the state’s budget woes at a career fair at Sacred Heart University on Wednesday.
“To be the only state in the union without a budget sends a bad signal around the country at a time when we want to recruit people and we want to recruit business. Now in reality, having this car crash that we’ve just had, it really got people serious about negotiations.”
Himes said despite the state’s budget issues and large companies, like General Electric and Aetna, moving their headquarters out of Connecticut, there are some positive economic stories. He pointed to the packed gym full of employers looking to hire at the career fair.
“When people are overly down on Connecticut they’re not really paying too close attention. Stamford, which I have the privilege of representing, Pitney Bowes stayed and is growing, Deloitte stayed and is growing, companies that you’ve never heard of five years ago, like indeed.com, growing in places like Stamford, so there are a lot of good stories out there, many in this room.”
Himes said he hopes a bipartisan budget deal is passed in Hartford soon so the state can have more certainty about where it’s going.