For Incoming AG It's Less Litigation, More Mediation

Editor's Note: This is part of a series of articles that focuses on issues that matter to voters in the upcoming Nov. 2 election. To view where candidates stand on issues relevant to New Canaan, and to add your comments, click here for the 2010 Patch Voter Guide on this race.

Forget red tape, it's the reams of a paper and countless fees that drive Roy Abromowitz of New Canaan to distraction.

"I feel nickel and dimed," Abromowitz said. "The fees just drive people away."

As a certified public accountant, Abromowitz said the state imposes too many regulations and permitting fees on businesses large and small. For example, he pays $100 to keep the name of his LLC, RAFinancial.

"I have an office in New Canaan, and I eat lunch here everyday. I spend money in town," Abromowitz said. "But the business climate is unfriendly."

Come Nov. 2 Connecticut residents will elect a new State Attorney General. And after two decades of Richard Blumenthal, many are wondering how the state's business climate might change. Both candidates, Democrat George Jepson and Republican Martha Dean told Patch it's time for less litigation and more mediation.

"The Attorney General is an advocate for the people of Connecticut, to protect their rights and take on the tough fights and to protect the public interest," Jepsen told Patch. "My approach tends to be more mediation and problem solving than litigation."

Jepsen credits Blumenthal with taking on tobacco companies, forcing social networking sites to police themselves to purge predators, and pursuing coal-burning plants out of state to clean up air.

However, Jepsen said suing when Boston College and Miami pulled out of Big East was a wrong call.

Many area voters said lawsuits marked the Blumenthal era, and the threat of litigation drove companies out of state.

Martha Dean, the GOP candidate agreed.

"I would end the practice of trial by press release so that law-abiding companies are not driven away from, or out, of Connecticut," Dean told Patch.

Fewer companies mean fewer jobs. The Nutmeg State remains below the national jobless rate of 9.6 percent, but the state's long-term unemployment rate last year ranked the fourth-worst in the nation.

Thirty-seven percent of the state's unemployed were jobless for at least six months in 2009, tying with Rhode Island for the highest in New England. The national rate was 32 percent.

Connecticut lost nearly 8,000 manufacturing jobs in the past 12 months, and nearly 20,000 over the past two years, according to the 2011 Connecticut Manufacturers Register.

According to the register, industrial employment dropped 3.5 percent during the past 12 months, representing 7,808 industrial jobs lost between May 2009 and May 2010. This comes after the industry lost 11,000 jobs between May 2008 and May 2009.

Factors that led to this year's decrease were layoffs at Pratt & Whitney and the closure of the Stamford facility of Clairol hair color.

"Blumenthal sued so many small entrepreneurs. That's not the way to do business," Ann Gill of Westport said. "We need to attract more businesses to get jobs."

Changing the business climate isn't just about making more green, however, it's about becoming green.

Dean said making a strong and competitive economy means: "Vigorously enforcing consumer protection and environmental laws, since rebuilding our economy turns in part on Connecticut being a desirable place to live."

Consumer protection and attracting new business means improving energy conservation, Jepsen said.  Keeping energy dollars in state will drive local economy, spur business and create jobs.

Connecticut consumes 25 percent more energy than neighboring New England states.  And since 1990, it has increased both electricity cost and electrical use by 20 percent, according to Earth Market, Inc.

 "Using less natural gas, fuel oil and gasoline will help keep energy dollars here in Connecticut, rather than sending them to Louisiana, or Venezuela or Saudi Arabia," Jepsen said.

Comments for this article should go here, on the Patch Voter Guide installment for the Attorney General race.