Florida Gov. Scott returns to CT in bid to recruit businesses

<p>Florida Gov. Rick Scott is in western Connecticut this afternoon to steal local jobs, not troll for votes.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 19, 2017, 5:19 PM

Updated 2,667 days ago

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott again sought to lure Connecticut businesses to his state Monday, where he says they can find sunnier weather and a better climate.
It's Scott's second visit to Norwalk. He tried to convince wealthy Fairfield County companies and hedge fund managers to move their businesses down south in 2015. He's once again offering tax cuts and fewer regulations.
At one point in a meeting with local business owners, Scott asked for a show of hands if any of them had heard from Gov. Dannel Malloy's office about staying in Connecticut. No one raised a hand.
"You've got to reduce taxes. He's done the opposite," Scott said of Malloy. "You've got to reduce regulations. He's not focused on reducing regulations. You've got to call on companies to get them to stay here and to move here."
For his part, Malloy pointed to Connecticut's success in 2015 in keeping Sikorsky Helicopter in Stratford after previous efforts to lure it away.
"Sikorsky assembled the six prototypes for the heavy-lift helicopter, not in Connecticut, but in Florida -- but we won the right to be the assembly area for that product, in Stratford, Connecticut," Malloy said.
Florida also failed to convince Black and Decker to relocate.
In terms of wealthy individuals, however, Scott's message has had more success. A number of affluent Fairfield families -- and their tax dollars -- have moved to Florida.