Connecticut

The business community appreciated Malloy’s message Wednesday.

Joe Brennan, president and CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said reducing budget deficits and making government more efficient is a good first step.

“Second, make state employee wages and benefits more affordable for taxpayers,” Brennan said. “We believe this, along with leaning government, are important steps in closing budget gaps while maintaining essential services and avoiding further harmful tax increases.”

Malloy will give his budget address in February, but if his speech Wednesday was a road map then it’s certain labor and progressive Democrats aren’t going to like it.

“What’s conspicuously absent were any clear plans to stimulate job creation, address the state’s income inequality (the second worst in the nation), and begin to diversify our economy — even when there are some obvious solutions right there under our noses,” Lindsay Farrell, executive director of the Connecticut Working Families Party, said.