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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Staples said that, to his knowledge, UTC receives the maximum research and development tax credit every year on its corporate taxes.<\/p>\n