Small Business is the backbone of Connecticut's economy

Audrey believes small business is the backbone of Connecticut's economy.

"I will make it my priority as Connecticut's next Secretary of the State to promote the growth of small business statewide, especially for women and minorities" ...

Upon assuming the role of Secretary of the State, I will be steadfast and determined in helping businesses in Connecticut succeed. I understand the challenges of small business in Connecticut, I have practiced law as a bankruptcy attorney for the last 25 years, I wouldn't be where I am today without the opportunities that were given to me throughout my life. A world class education, student loans, business loans, the support of my family and the help of the State of Connecticut. My husband Matt Blondin is an optometrist and operates his own business in Torrington right next to mine. As a couple we have dealt with the challenges that come with forming a business and we worked hard to establish our dreams of ownership. My two sons have both graduated from college with great educations and someday I wish they will follow in our foot steps. As a Candidate for Secretary of the State and as Connecticut's next chief business register, I recognizes that Connecticut's economic success depends on hardworking entrepreneurs who start small businesses and provide thousands of jobs to workers all across our great state. My belief is that Connecticut should provide a wide range of support services to help-start up and growing companies to be competitive in the hectic northeast corridor of the business world. Connecticut must have a business-friendly atmosphere and continue to lead the way in technology, a strong workforce, infrastructure needs, utility needs and financial needs for our businesses. Connecticut must continue to provide small businesses with the tools necessary to prosper in their local towns and cities:

* Providing businesses access to licensing assistance, counseling, training, technical information, form processing assistance, registration needs. Using tools such as the Connecticut Licensing Center (CT- CLIC.com).

* Providing businesses easy access to financing (fixed asset, working capital and venture capital, equity capital), grants, tax incentives, matching funds, purchasing of equipment or real estate. The state of Connecticut has many organization that help small business development, such as: The Global Technology Network, Connecticut Development Authority, CT Department of Labor Business Services, Connecticut Innovations, Hartford Economic Development Corporation, Mile Program (Micro Enterprise Lending Program), etc.

* Helping businesses determine what kind of entity they should form: sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, corporation, c-corporation, s- corporation, non-profit organization.

* Providing businesses access to local and regional financing/resources: Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of the State's Community Development Page, Bradley Development League, Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation, Bridgeport Economic Resource Center, Bridgeport Regional Business Council, Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency, (SECTER), Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley, Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency, Greater Hartford Business Development Center, Hartford Economic Development Corporation, Housatonic Industrial Development Corporation, Housatonic Valley Economic Development Partnership, Metro Hartford Growth Council Inc., Middlesex County Revitalization Commission, Municipal Economic Development Agency, Naugatuck Valley Development Corporation, etc.

* Providing businesses access to state and federal financing/resources as well as many business development agencies and organization, such as: Department of Economic and Community Development, DECD International Links Web Site, Connecticut Economic Resource Center, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Connecticut Office, Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Small Business Development Centers, Access to Capital Electronic Network (ACE-NET), Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (CII), CT Department of Labor Business Services, CONN/STEP, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Office of Business and Industry Development, Dry Cleaning Establishment Remediation Fund Program (waste clean up), U.S. Department of Agriculture Programs-Rural Development, U.S. Department of Energy.

* Opening up opportunities for women owned small businesses by promoting agencies and organizations, such as: The Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), PCSW'S Women Owned Business Project (WEDI), Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, DAS Procurement Services - Opportunities for Women - Owned Businesses, The Community Economic Development Fund, Entrepreneurial Center of the Hartford College for Women, etc.

* Opening up opportunities for minority owned small businesses by promoting agencies and organizations, such as: Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, DAS Procurement Services - Opportunities for Minority - Owned Business, Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program, Alpha Development group, Inc.( A Non-Profit Organization ),Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.( A Non-Profit Organization ), The Community Economic Fund, Connecticut Supplier Development Council, Spanish American Merchants Association [Hartford], Spanish American Merchants Association [Bridgeport], Urban League of Greater Hartford, Greater New Haven Business and Professional Association, etc.

* Continuing to provide business showcases and show case photo albums for small businesses to promote their products/services, such as: The Connecticut Small and Minority Business Showcase, hosted by our current Secretary of the State, Susan Bysiewicz.

* Continuing to provide business, procurement and trade seminars on better business practices and promoting the national magazine for CT small and minority businesses hosted by the Secretary of the State Office, which provides a venue for businesses to network with other businesses.

Industry Cluster

Connecticut can effectively help the development of small business by continuing to promote the growth of "Industry Clusters", which was an economic development concept championed by Dr. Michael Porter. Industry Cluster have been found to boost regional economies, based on a theory of promoting the growth of key industry clusters and strengthening economic foundations, the initiative includes developing the workforce and training opportunities, implementing lean techniques, public policymaking and marketing. The Inner City Business Strategy is one of the most important elements of the "Industry Clusters" initiative, it strives to bring about urban revitalization through business development and to increase income, wealth and employment opportunities for inner city residents. There must be a collaboration between the public and private sectors for the success of this plan. "Industry Clusters" is built around the nurturing the state's key industries this improves the competitiveness of businesses within the industries, in turn boosting our economy. By combining the market knowledge and expertise of businesses with the talents and resource of government, education, and economic development organizations, each one of CT "Industry Clusters" better prepares the members of the cluster to face the challenges created in the global marketplace. Connecticut has many different "Industry Clusters" just a few examples include:

*Connecticut's Aerospace Cluster is a network of independent CT-based aerospace companies collectively known as the Aerospace Components Manufacturers (ACM)

*Connecticut's Agriculture Business (CAB) is a collaborative effort with other sectors to enhance the growth and competitiveness of the state's agriculture industry.

Infrastructure

Connecticut's strategic location in the Northeast gives a great boost to small business and a great competitive advantage over other states. We must continue to keep that competitive edge by keeping our states infrastructure top notch. Connecticut's location to New York City and Boston, gives businesses easy access to major markets, financial centers and major universities like Yale University and Harvard University, as well as hundreds of prospective suppliers and business clients. Connecticut's access to interstate highways which makes travel to hot spots like Boston and New York less than a two-hour ride from most Connecticut cities and towns. Transportation accessibility is key to most small businesses, Connecticut has some of the best transportation including: Rail, Air, Deep water ports and Highways.

Rail

*Amtrak's Acela high speed rail service between Boston and Washington, D.C. with stops in New Haven and Stamford

*More than 200 commuter trains travel between CT and New York City daily and millions of passengers use MetroNorth's New Haven line in 2000

*CSX Transportation has moved 1.4 million tons of rail freight in CT, and has saved shippers $5.7 million using rail instead of truck.

Air

*7.3 million passengers on average use Bradley International Airport

*An average of 200,000 tons of cargo passes through Bradley International Airport

*There are over 60 private and commercial heliports in Connecticut for business use

Six major international airports are with in two hours commute from anywhere in Connecticut:

* Bradley International Airport ( Hartford, CT )

* Logan ( Boston, MA )

* Newark (Newark, NJ )

* JFK ( New York, NY )

* LaGuardia ( New York, NY)

* TF Green ( Providence, RI ) ·

Connecticut Regional Airports:

* Danbury Municipal Airport ( Danbury )

* Chester Airport ( Chester )

* Hartford-Brainard Airport ( Hartford )

* Johnnycake Airport ( Burlington )

* Robertson Airport ( Plainville )

* Tweed-New Haven Airport ( New Haven )

Deep Water Ports

* The Port of New Haven handles 2.1 million gallons of liquid bulk products ( led by petroleum products ) and 800,000 short tons of dry cargo annually.

Highway

*Connecticut has the largest concentration in the U.S. of companies providing bulk transport services for international system.

Connecticut's Bradley International Airport, is close to most locations and allows businesses greater accessability to destinations across the country and across the globe. Connecticut's strategic location to Long Island Sound is an advantage to businesses, most of their ports link with Connecticut's rail lines and highways. This is a great advantage when it comes to distributing goods throughout the northeast of the U.S. and Canada. Connecticut location on the eastern sea board allows for businesses to have a close link to Europe. Most important Connecticut has a sophisticated high-speed communication infrastructure that ranks sixth in the nation by the FCC, small businesses are greatly help by our state's quality of fiber-optic technology and bandwidth capability that is essential in today's ever connected economy. With over 100,000 high speed lines in the state, Connecticut has the infrastructure in place to keep businesses on the cutting edge. Connecticut's utilities CL&P and The United Illuminating Company help small business in Connecticut find money-saving strategies through their economic development department.

Work Force

Connecticut must continue to provide small businesses with well educated qualified workers. Our state has some of the best educated and most productive workers in the nation. Employee productivity in Connecticut is almost 30% above the national average. Some significant achievements of Connecticut's work force are:

Work Force Achievements

*Sixth in patents per capita (575.7/million)

*First in Gross State Product per worker ($98,843)

*Sixth in percent of residents 25+ with college degrees (33.5%)

Education

Connecticut must continue to provide the best education for its youth, as it will effect the quality of workers that can be hired by small businesses. From grammar school to Doctorate degrees, Connecticut schools are constantly ranked in the top of the nation. There are over 45 colleges and universities in the state, ranging from community colleges offering two year degrees and job training programs and research institutions turning out highly educated workers and entrepreneurs.

Education Achievements

*The National Assessment of Education Progress ranked Connecticut fourth-grade students 1st in reading and fourth and eighth- grade students for writing

*Uconn ranked #1 among public universities in the Northeast.

Procurement & Set-Aside

Small Businesses are greatly helped by the practice of procurement and set-aside, this happens each year. The federal, state and local governments spend billions of dollars purchasing goods and services from private-sector firms. Included in the statues, regulations and policies that govern these types of deals are initiatives setup to encourage the participation of small business in the purchasing process. Programs and services setup to help businesses obtain government contracts by certifying your business or offering technical assistance.

*Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP)

*Department of Administration Services'- Procurement Opportunities

*Minority and Small Business Set-Aside Program

*Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE)

*Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.

*Central Contractor Registration (CCR)

*Small Disadvantage Business (SDB)

*HUBZone

*Listing of Certifications

Universal Health Care

As a long time Democrat, Audrey has always believe that our society must take a bigger role in helping American families, American workers and the businesses of our nation deal with the every rising cost of health care. We as society must provide each and every citizen in this country the best health care that money can buy. The debate on Universal Health Care has continued to remain in the minds of many Americans as a proposed cure to the United States health care crisis, which estimates have said leaves 41-50 million people in America without health insurance, this cannot continue to effect the riches and most powerful nation in the world. Universal Health Care, also known as a single-payer system, would be similar to the current U.S. Medicaid health care program for low-income peoples but would apply to all citizens of the U.S. regardless of ability to pay. Many countries, and most of all industrialized countries expect for the U.S., have some sort of single payer health care plan. As a result of the U.S. not having a Universal Health Care program, we have the worst health care statistics in the industrialized world. We rank 18th in longevity, 16th in infant mortality, and around 67th in immunizations. All because our citizens can't access health care due to money. Most notably Canada and the U.K. have coverage under this type of health care. There are many advantages to a single payer health care system: Every citizen would be covered and administrative costs would be drastically reduced. According to the article, " Make Health Care a Right. It's Cheaper! " by John R. Battista, MD and Justine A. McCabe, PH.D., Studies have shown that with a publicly administered system health care costs would have been reduced in Connecticut by Two Billion dollars in 1999 by the reduction of administrative costs along with other different medical buying techniques such as buying medication in bulk. Some thing that the current Bush administration won't allow under the prescription drug bill. Audrey believes that basic human health care should be an available human right to all Americans and think that most people would agree that our current system isn't working.