Daum Tapped As State Development Chief

Very nice, but none of those large projects will offer life-long careers to anyone now living in HVN w/o a college-level degree; unless they are able to live, with a family, on 5-20, $$/hr.

Where are the jobs Justin?

Where are the jobs Ned?

Where are the jobs Marty?

Yeah the jobs went to Middletown Ave with all the 'ELECT ME' signs.

TommyBrnfrd, I had a life-long career (30 years in the same job). Even in the late Middle Ages, when I was working, this was uncommon. Young people today can expect to have multiple careers.

The real issue, which you allude to, is how to have the economy work for everyone including people who don't have college degrees. The mayor understands this (I spoke with him on this issue last week). I strongly suspect that Governor Lamont and Senator Looney do as well.

@Tommy—there are literally thousands of unfilled job postings in Connecticut, most of which pay $20-40/hour. Trade jobs (plumbing, electrician, roofing, extermination) pay $50-100/hour.

Ned Lamont is a Business oligarch.

Mr. M: You opinion being correct, what does messrs Elicker, Lamont, Looney and others plan to do about this matter.

Wringing of hands, cheek clicking, and other empathetic virtue signaling acts are not leadership. Again, has anyone in the 4th estate asked any of them to articulate 1,2,3 and how they will measure deliverables?

EW: if your opinion is correct why is work participation, so low, why are so many families 'food challenged' and how long will the citizens continue to allow go'mnt leaders to simply shrug their repective shoulders and walk away?

These pages document daily crises related to drugs, alcohol, & mental illness; homeless, hungry and under-performing students, and countless other societal maladies. These are not new issues to HVN, CT or USA.

Pols throw baskets of $$ @ the opportunities, and tell us they are 'working hard' to make conditions better, yet no demonstrable results are forthcoming.

Many of the causes of these opportunities appear to be rooted in social issues. Are the pols, who only last week were boasting they are the best gals & guys to lead us, now saying (by their, apparent, respective silence) they can't right the ship of state after all?

Bring your business to New Haven but it can't make any noise or have people get their hands dirty, maybe a couple of researchers will invent something or create another miracle pill but we know once you succeed you want to move to Boston or New York. Better talk to Mrs. Lamont she knows its hard to start a business in Connecticut but she can hook you up with the movers and shakers in Nashville.

@EastWest=== have you noticed that the youngsters hired in these box stores are slovenly , slow, and careless? They are not trained in how to be an employee, how to speak to people, do customer service, and be reliable. I get the impression that they think they are doing me a favor when they serve me in some way. Where is the training??? Many skills can be learned in a clerk's job..... Good thing there is a dearth of real workers because they will be out on their ears fast when the competition gets tougher.

“We spend a lot of time selling the state to developers” to try to convince them to invest in Connecticut, she said. Same goes for trying to convince businesses to “set up shop” in the state. Good luck convincing them we have great employees.
42% Of Students “Chronically Absent” might also show the problem with New Haven kids/workers is mainly caused by parents that did the same and see nothing wrong with it.

It's time we started to unwind the generally accepted, received wisdom, that it is the role of state government to "create jobs." It is not. More fundamentally, it is not within the capacity of state government to do so. Plus, the business community isn't asking for that, and doesn't want it.

This is just one of the things that was wrong with Stefanowski's pitch - he didn't understand the first thing about the appropriate role of state and local government.

Here is what both the people looking for jobs, and the businesses looking to hire, need.

First, in terms of workforce, basic literacy and the ability to show up when you're supposed to, be trainable, and take pride in your work. That should be enough, let the employers take it from there.

Second, fiscal management that produces a solvent and stable government. Maintaining a brimming "rainy day fund" and paying off pension liabilities is the winning strategy. A billion dollar reduction in pension liabilities means we reduce interest expenses - it's like locking in 7.5% return (roughly) for however long it would have taken to pay that off otherwise.

Third, a regulatory environment that is fair, efficient, and easy to interact with. That includes legitimate and consistent enforcement. In other words, a level playing field, not one that seeks to right every wrong.

Let's stop asking it to do things - like "create jobs," or control gas prices, or otherwise control things it cannot control - there are other issues that are the legitimate province of government.

Sound fiscal management, sound infrastructure, safe streets and neighborhoods, an educational system that produces literate graduates capable of functioning and growing in the workplace; the list of what government needs to do and do well is long.

"Create jobs," and even "economic growth" is not what we should be expecting from government. It's an empty phrase that distracts and misinforms.

Good news for the state. Congratulations to Alexandra Daum!

A real estate investor and Commissioner of Economic Development I don't see any conflict of interest there.

Urbanist
THREEFIFTHS
Nov 17, 2022 11:33 am

"They are call public sector or civil service jobs."

True, but that's not what "create jobs" and "grow the economy" mean.

Until we have a federally funded, fully elastic, job guarantee, it is meaningless to say that state, county, and municipal governments should "create jobs," or "grow the economy." They lack the capacity and responsibility to do so.

There is solid evidence that government spending can create jobs.Read the history of The New Deal programs of the Great Depression are.The New Deal programs stabilized our economy, though it was the massive government job creation fueled by World War II that finally put an end to the economic devastation.Look at the government Small Business Investment Company Program, financed by the federal Small Business Administration it helped Nike Inc., Apple Inc., and FedEx Corp. grow into the global business powerhouses they are today.Millions of people work for the government and millions more are employed in government-funded work and all those dollars flowing into the economy create even more jobs.