The Poisoned Economic Nutmeg Of Connecticut- Where The Political System Destroys Business Economics (And It Could Care Less).

 Economics is many times misunderstood. Most citizens correctly believe that elected officials have little to no understanding as to how economics and our nation's market system works. The Democrat Party, with no conception of how an economic system works, is especially of the mind that government should be the sole provider of all things economic; public transportation, public education, public child care, public housing, public drugs and drug treatment, public groceries, public safety and many other "public" items, of course with no idea as to how to pay for them other than to yell “tax the rich” or “tax the white neighborhoods” (if you are NYC presumptive Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani). The free market system, if it is functioning, allows for both the consumer and businesses to address supply and demand conditions with regards to the needs of the society. In Democrat states like Connecticut, a socialist based command/government directive economy exists instead, and this economy is doing a terrific job of driving the state to total ruin.

At one time in recent memory, a ride through the State of Connecticut was a remarkable sight. Cities were alive, safe, and functioning with commerce and culture and culinary choices. Beautiful suburbs featured well-kept homes and bright clean and green parks. The finest public schools produced the best and brightest students. Office space was hard to come by. Many avenues for upward mobility were available to the motivated. But if we take that same ride in Connecticut 2025 we see decaying, dangerous, and drug ridden cities where illegal aliens are prioritized over taxpayers. We see office space begging for tenants. We see formerly thriving commercial buildings are adorned with “FOR SALE” signs. We see parks have strewn with the homeless and the addicted. Schools have failed. Colleges have become Woke-Liberal paradises training students for no practical purpose and leaving them in incalculable debt. Taxes are high. Productivity is non-existent. The stark change is so dramatic and devastating that one wonders where the train jumped the track.

I submit to you that the economic poisoning of Connecticut started with the imposition of the Lowell Weicker-inspired Connecticut state income tax in 1991. Ever since that time, the state's economy has exhibited profound wreckage, exacerbated by the horrific regimes of Governors Dannel Malloy (2011–2019) and “Businessman Governor” Ned Lamont, (2019–present). This policy onslaught triggered a corporate exodus beginning that very same year with Saab and UPS, followed by General Electric relocating its headquarters from Fairfield to Boston in 2016, Alexion Pharmaceuticals fleeing New Haven for Boston in 2017 (after receiving a huge state handout of tax dollars), Aetna shifting operations to New York amid threats of full departure, and more recently, the LEGO Group announcing its U.S. headquarters move from Enfield to Boston by 2026, alongside Subway's 2023 transfer to Miami. Every single entity cited some combination of taxes, business hostility and administrative state oppression in its decision to depart.

It is inarguable that Connecticut has regressed economically form the past 34 years, while the inept, incompetent, and enabling state government has had its  budget increase dramatically over the same time. The state's budget increased from roughly $7 billion dollars in 1991 to over $26 billion dollars in 2025. Connecticut's population was roughly 3.3 million people in 1991 and is roughly 3.6 million people in 2025, (not counting the illegal and undocumented within the state borders). Thus, for a net increase of 300,000 people in 34 years, the state has increased spending by approximately $19 billion dollars a year. And taxes have increased dramatically over that same period while the same inept, incompetent, and enabling state government ignorantly continues on its path to destruction, seeing no reason whatsoever to change anything it is doing.

As discussed in the past, "The 2025 Rich States, Poor States" report issued by the American Legislative Exchange Council Center for State Fiscal Reform (https://www.richstatespoorstates.org/states/CT/) shows Connecticut as currently ranked 44^th in the United States for its economic outlook."  

"Connecticut is currently ranked 48^th in the United States for its economic performance. This rank is a backward-looking measure based on the state’s performance (equal-weighted average) in three important performance variables shown below. These variables are highly influenced by state policy." 

"Cumulative GDP Growth, 2013 - 2023	43.80%	44th
Cumulative Domestic Migration, 2014 - 2023	-170,538	41st
Non-Farm Employment Growth, 2013 - 2023	2.05%	43rd"

If one looks at a state as small as Connecticut spending over $26 billion dollars a year and being ranked this low in these important economic categories, ostensibly there is a massive imbalance in the state between private industry and state government. "New data from CBRE show the Greater Hartford office market sitting at a 28.2 percent vacancy rate, while Cushman & Wakefield peg Fairfield County availability at 26 percent in the first quarter of 2025. In some downtown blocks, empty space now tops 50 percent, creating a drag on local tax bases and neighborhood vitality." (https://waittgrain.com/markets/stocks.php?article=abnewswire-2025-6-20-connecticut-firm-helps-struggling-owners-as-commercial-vacancies-rise-across-the-state) Could an actual decline of businesses being in the state be a cause of these vacancies? Could the decline in businesses in Connecticut be due to the high property tax rates of the state? Could the decline in businesses in Connecticut be due to the high minimum wage rate? Could the decline in businesses in Connecticut be due to the high workers compensation and unemployment insurance tax rates? Could the decline in businesses in Connecticut be due to the poor bridge, road, and highway systems? Could the decline in businesses in Connecticut be due to the wretched economic decisions by the Democrat Party especially with the dysfunctional and non-transparent Department of Community and Economic Development picking their politically connected winners and losers? Could it be that whenever Connecticut tries to fix massive economic problems it starts a "new" state taxpayer funded program incentive to "resolve" the same economic problem, with the invariable result of greater failures at increased costs?

Regardless of the lies you have been told, Connecticut's economic decline is due to years of omnipotent Connecticut Democrat Party rule with a lack of transparency in state government, a bloated state government bureaucracy, high state and local taxes, a quagmire of byzantine business laws and regulations including high workers compensations costs, high unemployment tax costs, high paid family leave costs, and a state GOP that has never fully and aggressively advocated for sound business principles of Republicanism, refusing to do so to this very day.

In light of the above, why would anyone in their right mind want to own and operate a business in Connecticut?

Connecticut's state election is coming up in 2026. For the state to be saved and/or be the least bit viable anymore  Connecticut truly needs courage, boldness, and new ideas and to address its bloated state debt, state budget and unfunded liabilities.  It needs leaders who will actually lead and not scream and bellow incoherent gibberish about their perceived "injustices". It needs Republican and Conservative candidates to rise that are truly part of the conservative solution and not an extension of the problem that has taken place for decades.

Despite all the nonsensical gibberish we hear from political people about “injustices,” the gravest injustice in Connecticut is continually perpetuated upon its legitimate taxpaying citizens via the Democrat-Socialist-driven disaster that has masqueraded as a state government. A government that worships and nurtures the oppressive and overpaid administrative state. A government that steadfastly refuses to simplify and cut taxes. A legislature where not one member therein cries for the abolition of the Department of Economic and Community Development especially considering the recent nonprofit scandal.  A government in full embrace of the Trump-Burgum energy policy leading to the dilution of the Eversource burden upon the state. A government in grave need of open source and timely access to all state documentation and the seating of a citizen no-holds-barred DOGE panel to tear the compounded horrors wide open. Hard? Brutal? You had better believe it. But all of the above in my estimation are necessary to right a sinking ship sabotaged by self-serving bureaucrats and politicians over decades of wreckage.