Gov. Dannel Malloy downplayed recent concerns that the state may have bungled its meeting with General Electric in an effort to keep the company in the state.
In the end, the governor said, the decision will likely come down to corporate brass and may not have anything to do with what he and other state officials do to keep GE.
"Look, GE is talking to a lot of states. We’re going to have a chunk of GE one way or the other. We’d like to keep their headquarters but they get to decide that and that usually comes down to one person’s decision," Malloy said.
The possible issue, raised by State Rep. John Frey, a Republican from Ridgefield, had to do with a stock image on documents and in the presentation used by the state during its meeting with General Electric.
The photo is one of several meant to showcase what Connecticut is proud of and has to offer.
Alongside images of parks, a lab and a submarine is a photo of a Pratt and Whitney jet engine. Pratt and Whitney is headquartered in East Hartford and is a chief competitor to GE Aviation, which has several engine plants and facilities around the country.
Frey wasn't available Friday, but top House Republican Themis Klarides described the state's economic development efforts as "willy nilly" and being far too reactive in many circumstances.
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"I’m concerned that we’re not doing the job we should be doing," said Klarides, a Republican from Derby. "Clearly, with the laws that we make, we’re not a business friendly state, but on another level you’ve got to keep a business. I would do everything I could to keep that business here."
Malloy said the state is doing many things to keep businesses happy and improve its so-called business climate.
"If you’re like me and you talk to corporations every day, their biggest complaint about Connecticut is transportation, but we’re doing something about it," he said of the state's $100-billion plan that will take about 30 years to complete.
Many projects are already underway, like improvements to Interstates 95 and 84 and the Metro-North Railroad.
Malloy did say that many in Connecticut are too negative and that they need to be more positive when it comes to courting businesses and promoting growth.
"I sometimes joke that this is the state where 'the glass can only be half empty' was invented," he said.
