Press release from state Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat:
Bristol Small Businessman Testifies in Support of Senate Democrats’ Jobs Plan
Sen. Colapietro says support continues to build for plan to cut costs for small businesses and expand access to credit
Hartford – State Senator Thomas A. Colapietro (D-Bristol) today welcomed Bristol small businessman Mark A. Policki to the state Capitol as he offered testimony before the General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee in support of legislation designed to grow jobs in Connecticut by providing aid to small businesses.
“I am very glad to see small business owners like Mr. Policki here today to testify and offer their support for this very important bill,” said Senator Colapietro. “Momentum is gathering for this legislation. Connecticut workers need jobs now, and the sooner this bill is passed the better.”
The legislation is known as Senate Bill 1, An Act Concerning the Preservation and Creation of Jobs in Connecticut, and is co-sponsored by Senator Colapietro. It does the following:
• Exempts small ‘mom and pop’ businesses with annual net incomes of $50,000 or less from the $250 business entity tax for two years. (The Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates that at least 46,000 small businesses would be affected).
• Establishes a program to provide loans and loan guarantees to companies with fewer than 50 employees, and authorizes up to $20 million in state general obligation bonding to fund the program.
• Imposes a temporary surcharge of 8.97% in lieu of regular state income tax on bonuses of $1 million or more paid or awarded by companies that received direct funding from the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) or certain of their affiliates.
Mr. Policki has owned and operated Bristol Cleaners and Custom Tailoring on Main Street in downtown Bristol for the past four years, though the business itself has a 40 year history in town. Senator Colapietro and Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) held a press conference at Mr. Policki’s shop a few weeks ago to promote the legislation and the larger Senate Democrat’s Jobs Plan.
“I own two small businesses: a small holding company and my dry cleaning and tailoring shop on Main Street in Bristol. I recently gave up my home of many years in order to keep my dry cleaners in operation. These aren’t easy times to be doing business, and I am very focused on cutting costs in my shop and at home in order to stay profitable and keep going,” said Mr. Policki.
Mr. Policki continued, “It is very important to me to keep my business—I would say that it’s the best job I’ve ever had. Anything the government can do to assist businesses like mine would be appreciated, even if it’s just something small. I like this legislation and what it does, and I think it will be a big help for small business owners like me and many others.”
Senate Bill 1 forms the first component of the larger Senate Democrats’ Jobs Plan, under which the consolidation of the state’s economic development entities is also proposed. Under the plan, the Connecticut Development Authority (CDA), Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (CI) and the direct business financing function of the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) would be consolidated into one single entity, as recommended by the recent bipartisan report from the General Assembly’s Program Review & Investigations (PRI) Committee. This will provide a benefit to small businesses and the state by:
• Cutting costs by streamlining functions.
• Avoiding duplication of efforts—eliminates administrative duplication and helps avoid situations where two agencies are working on the same issue.
• Establishing a one-stop shopping option for small businesses who might not know where to go for help.
• Combining knowledge accumulated from different agencies into one location where this knowledge can be benefit all businesses in Connecticut.
• Creating a new entity that will administer new small business revolving loan fund.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
44 comments:
Why weren't this measures enacted years ago. Tommy and Billy are good at creating problems then rushing in with some feel good solution. Nice try Tommy boi but you number is up!
Mr. Colapietro,
In your years in Hartford what have you done for Bristol? You seem to being in the lately because big surprise it is an election year.
I hope the dems primary you with another candidate and/or the repub's candidate gives you a real race on the issues, Bristol needs someone who will work for us in between elections.
Again you have a record to run on. What is it?
The 250 fee for being a business in CT should be abolished for every business that has net income below 250k. None of these initiatives will create any jobs, and that my friends is the ultimate problem we all face.
I am a business owner and I employ 4 people, my problem is not loans, bu some visability as to the future in the state of CT before I invest more money and try and grow my business here in this state.
Stop mandating how I operate and let me just operate. If the state of CT wants to be my HR department then I am going to stop hiring and growing and look to other states to move my business.
I really don't mind the higher taxes if there is value in paying those taxes, right now I am having trouble seeing the value in what I am getting from my investment in the state of CT.
Tom has done little for the union employee as is evidenced by the number of union jobs the 31st district has lost during his terms in office.
Now he realizes it is the small business that may or may not be union that actually builds an economy. Too little too late.
I just hope what is left of the UAW and their allies in the 31st recognize how little Tom C. has done for the working/middle class in the 31st these many years. Another couple more years of Tom C. and the democrat robber-barons Theis will follow suit of all the other manufacturing jobs. But hey they stuck it to upper management.
tom, what is the difference between the place where you probably get free cleaning and the mom and pop package store who makes you pay for your purchase? is this cleaner open on sunday? best cleaners is. choice?
amazing how you think that your support of this will be a substitute for all of your years of doing nothing - give it up.
So the anti business republicans are still whining? Eat your hearts out. At least he's got the guts to ignore you wacko's. You have done what at all ?
At least he has a number and even though you clowns have recruited a insurance salesman to run I relly don't think that will work. His number isn't up till you find a good candidate which you don't seem to have. Whine away useless.
The number that is and has been up is yours. Are you for anything? Nah just useless cry babies. Like I said before gutless no names with nothing to offer the community so go if it's so bad. Maybe you can find a blog somewhere else in the world. Embarrass your so-called party some more. Have fun!
I really don't mind the higher taxes if there is value in paying those taxes, right now I am having trouble seeing the value in what I am getting from my investment in the state of CT.
March 1, 2010 10:44 PM
I agree with you I don't see any value either. And make up your mind will ya? You don't mind paying more taxes? Ha !
In other words 10:44 "What have you done for me"
Tommy and his cronies in the Senate don't get it. STOP the spending...stop feeding the union beast you created.
Why do state workers get TWO days of with pay when most of the private sector gets NONE to celebrate Presidents Day?
Because you pander to the lazy union hack. You are a fox in the chicken coupe. We do not want you Williams, Donovan and any other wild eyed liberal spending democrat. We can't afford your pro union policys any longer.
Amen to the businees owner poster (10:44 PM 3/1)...you hit the nail on Tommys head.
Talk about hypocrites , where did you say this Jason lived before he came to CT? And what did you say his record was ? C'mon you've got to be kidding. I take that back you're just evil lying, vendictive, gutless, cowards that have never done anything for Bristol!Same ol same ol.
So what has Mr. Colapietro done for Bristol? No one seems to be able to answer this question including Mr. Colapietro. Instead the conversation turns to bashing republicans or democrats who don't support the man. This tactic of avoiding the question may have worked in the past but it will not work this election. The voters will not buy it. Elliot Nelson would make a great candidate to primary Mr. Colapietro and the republican candidate may not have a record of accomplishment but neither does Mr. Colapietro. If he did the question of what has he done for Bristol would be an easy one to answer.
To The 5:26AM~
I've Heard Via The Rumor Mill That There's A Good Candidate To Run Against Tom...Elliot Nelson(He's The DTC Chairman) and I Feel That He Has Done A Great Job~He Would Be My Choice...
I WILL NOT VOTE FOR TOM COLAPIETRO!
If Elliot doesn't run, who does Ward have as a backup?
Or will he come out and support Welch?
It is not what has he done for me, but what has he done for us in the 31st district. He is up there to represent all of us not just the people who gave him money ie: liquor stores and gas stations. Why is Bristol losing out to all the state services, the busway, etc, because Tommy is too busy to worry about his district. Time to go Tom.....
You want to know what Colapietro has done for us? He fought against Republican governors for years to pass a law that would stop general contractors from screwing their small subcontractors (many of whom live in Bristol). Now he is fighting to keep small package store owners from getting screwed by the big chain package stores. Keep up the good work, Tom!
"He fought against Republican governors for years to pass a law that would stop general contractors from screwing their small subcontractors"
Any law that would have been signed by the Governor would have needed endorsement from the democrat supermajoriity - Civics 101. Can't blame Republicans for that one.
It amazes me that the legislature has been controlled by the dems for an eternity in this state and blaming Republicans(and don't forget those evil rich people) for all that is wrong still rings true. People have no clue.
Tom C. has been sitting in Hartford and participated in passing legislation that tripled the number of state employees and nearly quadrupled state spending. He was there for the last two years while the Dems ignored the growing deficit and ignored any input from the Republicans to help control the growing fiscal crisis. Enough is enough.
Why bother ? According to these negative jerks on here, Nothing he does is any good. So go ahead and be your normal useless selves.
So I am asking all you geniuses "What's your value?"
To you phonies . You really mean when are we going to get a republican hack that we can control?
The General Assembly voted to approve Colapietro's bill, but the Governor refused to sign it. If the rest of the Democrats were not willing to use their majority to overrule that (and I don't recall if they had that many seats at the time, but they might have)that is not Colapietro's fault. Again, he did what he could. No Republican would have even tried. The Republicans pay lip service to helping the small businessman, but that's all it is.
It's Quite Obvious That Tom Colapietro Is Scrambling(And,I'm Not Talking About Eggs)...
10:59 It's obvious that you still HAVE scrambled eggs for brains. Glad you are still obsessed with hating Colapietro . You must be a unhappy person and that makes me happy.
Same old anti evverything song!
Mr. Minor, if the Governor refuses to sign a bill what is the result? Does it pass or fail?(See last budget for example)So if the Governor refused to sign it, it would sit on her desk and become law. Your Republican blame holds no water.
Does the Republican candidate/party have all the answers? No. However we have enough history with Sen. Colapietro to understand that during his service as a state senator things have gotten worse for the 31st district relative to jobs, taxes, and infrastrcuture. If we look to government to alieviate these problems that he has not done his job. Let's impose our on term limits and vote him out- plain and simple.
Craig. The old tactic of blaming the other party will not work in the next election. The voters are sick of it. They want to see things get done and not just talked about. The issues we face are life changing. The State of Connecticut is broken both financially and by process. I, like most voters are looking for answers not name calling, party bashing and not the old excuse we tried but the other party got in the way. Boo hoo! We pay our elected officials to get the job done. So in ALL his years in office what has Mr. Colapietro done for the benefit of Bristol? And, based on what he has done why should he be voted back in. It is time to thank Mr. Colapietro for his service or lack of service and let Mr. Nelson or Mr. Welch see if they can do better.
March 3, 8:21am -
Sorry, I phrased it wrong. Rowland vetoed Colapietro's bill. But Colapietro kept plugging away, and it finally became law.
You say that "during his service as a state senator things have gotten worse for the 31st district relative to jobs, taxes, and infrastructure" but you don't say what he did that made things worse. I listed two specific things off the top of my head he has done that made things better in the 31st. Tell me two specific things he did that made things worse.
I thought we got rid of that wild eyed liberal Minor?? Go back to being a family man and a stay out of the papers!! Like colpierto we have had enough of you too. At least you had the good sence to self impose a term limit. Don't spoil our fading memories of you liberal ramblings.
Sorry to burst your bubble guys but the problem with CT is people like you who do nothing for anyone except complain. You have done absolutely nothing for the community or your party for that matter. He's going to make you very unhappy again !
So 9:45 you tried the other party ? Maybe there's something wrnog with you!
To 8:21AM and 9:45AM Posters~
THANK YOU!!!!! I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself!
6:49 - suck it up.
Many years ago I was on a Federal Grand Jury - Believe me when I say that their is NO ONE MORE LIBERAL than a republican under federal inditement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Stop & Shop told its employees on Friday that it offered a $140 million package of wage and benefit increases, worth nearly $3,900 per employee. The company also said it pays workers $1 to $4 an hour more than its non-union competitors."
Thank You Senator Colpinto for your union support.
Did you make them the offer?
Hey 6:39 how much do you make?
Just to show you don't know what your talking about the paper said the other day that stop and shop offered less than what they are already making. Jut because you hate Colapietro and his unions who by the way kept you sucking people dry of their money doesn't mean what you say means anything especially the hard time you have with the truth !. Like I always say you are useless as usual !
That's why stop and shop is more expensive than everyone else.
Hey 6:39 and 3:04 how much do you make?
March 4, 2010 1:12 PM
Hey 7:42....What I make is what I have chossen to do and none of your friggin business. If you cant make what you need from an employer go find another job instaed of whinning and demanding. You union lazy butts cost us all money...read what S & S is paying ABOVE what non unions shops are paid.
Can anyone tell me who is a non union super market, cause here I come...good bye STOP & SHOP...hope they break the union and I hope we get rid of that colopisto guy too!
I'm still waiting for Mr. March 3, 8:21am to tell me two specific things that Colapietro has done to make things worse here in Bristol. Can anyone help him?
12:26 - (1)get elected (2) show up.
12:25 then mind your own friggin business then. If everyone has to tell all what makes you so special.Did I hit a sore spot booby ? How's it feel ?
colipissonyou does nothing for non union people .
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