State lawmakers approved a deal to keep Sikorsky in Connecticut until 2032 after a special session on Wednesday morning.
It has been a week since Gov. Dannel Malloy announced the agreement in which Sikorsky promises to retain 7,500 jobs and potentially hire 1,000 more workers.
"This is the best economic deal that the state has ever cut, honestly, because it’s generational," Malloy said.
But one state senator, the only senate to vote aganist the deal, says he disagrees on principle with using taxpayer money to hold on to jobs.
"Sikorsky isn’t here because we bribed them to come. Once upon a time this was a great place to do business," State Senator Joe Markley said. "I want to restore that and we don’t do that when we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on one company."
On Tuesday, the governor, joined by Stratford Mayor John Harkins and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, toured two Sikorsky suppliers on the same street in Stratford.
"All of us have Sikorsky blood running through us," said United Aero Group President James Gelder.
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Nearly half of his company’s business is tied to supporting Sikorsky products, Gelder told NBC Connecticut during the governor’s visit.
Inside the United Aero Grouop facility, boxes are filled with new and used parts the company supply to Sikorsky in case a helicopter needs a repair.
“We manage that entire process, that entire cycle, importing manufacturing or re-manufacturing or overhaul and then back to the customer all over the world,” Gelder said.
Malloy and the mayors next visited the headquarters for BTX Global Logistics.
“We deliver goods so they’ll call us and we’ll pick up a helicopter blade and get it to the north sea of Norway in 22 hours,” BTX Global Vice President Leonard Bacarella said.
The transportation and delivery services company stands to benefit from Sikorsky staying put, Bacarella said.
“It’s important that he’s out visiting local companies that are supporting Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky,” Bacarella said.
As part of the deal, Sikorsky’s entire production line for the King Stallion helicopters will be in Connecticut.
“This is one of the best deals the state has negotiated,” Malloy said.
That manufacturing commitment and the trickle down effect on dozens of Sikorsky suppliers justifies the state’s $220 million in financial incentives, Malloy said.
“For every dollar the state’s putting into this, 96 dollars will be spent by Sikorsky directly,” he added, “that does not involve the supply chain or the supply chain to the supply chain.”
The deal also needs the approval from the union representing Sikorsky’s employees. Members are expected to vote on Oct. 9.
