Issue Position: Nickel and Dime

Issue Position

CT's Nickel & Dime Legislature

Let's be clear. The Governor - whether Democrat or Republican - signs the bills that Connecticut's legislature passes. For 36 of the past 38 years, the Democrats have been the legislature's uncontested Ruling Party increasing the budget, increasing taxes and fees, increasing the debt and increasing the regulatory burdens on CT's small businesses.

Stop the Nickel and Diming of Connecticut's Citizens & Small Businesses

The State of Connecticut generated $19.5 billion in revenue from 378 sources in FY2011.

Governor Dan Malloy and the Democratic-entrenched General Assembly approved an additional $1.4 billion in tax increases for FY2012. To see all of these taxes and fees, open the State Taxes and Fees PDF .

According to information published in February 2011 by the U.S. Small Business Administration about Connecticut, "Connecticut's small businesses are key to the state's well-being. They account for a significant share of the state's economic production and hiring."

This profile from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy uses the latest available data to illustrate the status and contributions of Connecticut small businesses. A small business is defined as one with fewer than 500 employees.

Connecticut Small Business Facts
Number of Businesses 2008 2007 2000
Small employers (<500 employees) 73,779 75,087 76,363
Large employers (500+ employees) 2,063 2,041 2,091
Nonemployers 253,343 260,305 217,323

Small businesses totaled 327,122* in the state in 2008. Of these, 73,779 were employers , and they accounted for 50.8% of private-sector jobs in the state. Small firms made up 97.3% of the state's employers.

*Small business include <500 Employer (73,779) and Nonemployers (253,343 self-employed)

Source: sba.gov

As this chart illustrates, growth of CT State Government spending is out of control compared to population and median income growth over the same time period.

Source