Gov. Dannel Malloy didn't quite brush aside talk that the Hartford-based insurance company, Aetna, is considering a move to Boston and has already initiated talks with the governor of Massachusetts.
“We seek to poach from other states and other states seek to poach from us," the governor said during a news conference Tuesday.
Aetna has been a stalwart of the Connecticut business community since its founding in 1853. It was founded in Hartford and employs thousands of people in the Greater Hartford metro area.
However, Aetna was one of several companies that publicly criticized the Democratic-controlled General Assembly two years ago when it approved a corporate data tax that was aimed at drawing millions from the Connecticut insurance industry.
When reached for comment, a spokesman for Aetna said the company would not comment on speculation, and said it remains committed to Hartford.
A spokesman for Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker responded in a similar tone, saying, "We are committed to maintaining a pro-growth environment, and creating jobs across the Commonwealth. However, we do not comment on potential business development projects."
Losing Aetna would be a colossal blow to the state of Connecticut, especially after losing General Electric last year.
Joe Brennan, the CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, describes Aetna as an "anchor tenant of the Connecticut economy."
He said the state has done well in the past year to ease concerns from business owners and major employers because of the change of policy course, opting not to raise taxes to fill budget gaps.
Brennan said the advantage for cities like Boston and New York is that they're urban centers with more talent than places like Connecticut.
“It’s not something we can’t overcome, we just have to make sure we have the environment here that’s conducive for these companies and the talent” he said.
Malloy said the state has secured multiple economic development victories, including the production of a Sikorsky helicopter in Stratford. The governor said Connecticut remains in the hunt for company commitments and to maintain existing corporate footprints.
“We’re going to compete," Malloy said. "We do compete and we have a lot of advantages.”
Photo Credit: AP
