GOVERNOR MALLOY LAUNCHES PR CAMPAIGN TO COVER POOR ECONOMIC RECORD

January 16, 2012 JBanking & Financial Services

AFP-CT Calls State Branding Campaign Over the Top Publicity Stunt

Hartford CT- Today Americans for Prosperity-Connecticut (AFP-CT) is calling the State’s newly launched two-year marketing initiative an over the top publicity stunt.

“Rather than changing the tax and regulatory structure in the state to attract businesses and tourists, Governor Malloy has instead chosen to spend $22M and hire a NYC marketing firm to rebrand the state’s identity,” said JR Romano, State Director AFP-CT. “We need more than a rebranding in this state: we need a tax and regulatory system that encourages economic development and expansion and mostly we need a Governor who realizes this.”

The creative agency, Chowder, Inc has been announced to develop the state’s “brand identity and bolster the state’s reputation as a business and tourism destination.”

“Even the best advertising agency won’t be able to camouflage CT’s record in which 53% of the state’s revenue comes from income tax collection, we rank last in New England in Private Sector Job Growth at less than 1% since 1991, and we have the nation’s second-highest state and local income tax collection rate per capita,” Romano continued. “The people of CT know firsthand about the heavy tax burden that has been placed upon them. Our state fails to attract new businesses because we lack the right incentives for businesses, not because we lack the right television commercial.”

According to the University of Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis, the tourism industry in CT generates $1.2 billion in state and local taxes.

“Families across our state are being forced to make tough choices between wants and needs,” Romano concluded. “In these economic times, the state of CT should be no different. We do not need a rebranding of our identity, we need tax relief for individuals and businesses.”

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