Gov. M. Jodi Rell spoke with United Technologies Corp. CEO Louis Chenevert on Tuesday morning following remarks at a conference by UTC executives that anywhere is cheaper to do business than in Connecticut.
Chenevert, who was paid about $18 million last year, told Rell that he would meet with her – along with Democratic leaders of the state legislature – in order to talk about the business climate and how the legislature can help businesses.
“I had a very interesting conversation with him,” Rell told reporters. “I reminded him of the good quality of life we have in the state.”
Republicans and others have slammed the Democratic-controlled legislature for a series of proposed bills that they describe as anti-business, including paid sick leave and various forms of taxation that would generate more money from corporations. But state Rep. Cameron Staples, a New Haven Democrat who co-chairs the tax-writing finance committee, defended the General Assembly.
“I think we’ve done an awful lot to keep industry – particularly United Technologies – here,” Staples said. “We want them to stay. … We have the most generous research and development tax credit in the country.”
Staples said that, to his knowledge, UTC receives the maximum research and development tax credit every year on its corporate taxes.
http://www.courant.com/business/hc-utc-rell-sympathizes-0316,0,1277647.story