Are Stratford Legislators Business-Friendly?

Stratford legislators in the House and Senate are doing their part to help the business community, according to a review by Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA).

CBIA looked at how politicians over the past two years voted on seven "key bills impacting Connecticut’s economic growth and business climate." Two of the four Stratford legislators surveyed received perfect scores.

Scroll down for a description of each bill (provided by CBIA). Click here to see the full list of Connecticut legislators.

Here's how Stratford's state representatives and Senator did:

(Yes=supported business community's position; No=opposed business community's position; n/a=absent or abstained.)

Budget (SB 1239): Raised state taxes a record $4.1 billion, including hikes in the personal income tax, state sales tax, and corporate tax.

Paid Sick Leave (SB 913): Made Connecticut the first state in the country to mandate that certain employers provide paid sick leave, significantly raising the cost of doing business for some companies.

Minimum Wage (HB 5291): Proposed increasing the minimum wage by 50 cents over the next two years without regard for the state's struggling economy or other labor costs businesses already pay.

Captive Audience (HB 5460): Prohibited employers from discussing so-called "political" topics at required company meetings, including employee wages and benefits and any local, state, or federal news impacting the company and jobs.

Education Reform (SB 458): Instituted sweeping changes to our public education system designed to help at-risk children, close the state's achievement gap, improve student performance, turn around failing schools, and ensure the state has the skilled workforce it needs to compete in a global economy.

Job Creation (HB 6801): Included tax changes, small business financing programs, and workforce development initiatives designed to spur economic growth and job creation.

Campaign Finance (HB 5556): Imposed unreasonable (and most likely unconstitutional) rules and procedures on businesses making campaigned-related expenditures.

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About CBIA (taken from website): The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) is the largest, most representative business organization in the state. Our members include businesses of all sizes from nearly all industries in Connecticut. We are the leading voice at the State Capitol and before regulatory agencies for policies that promote economic growth, a fiscally responsible state government, and a dynamic business climate.