Steps Toward Reform in Connecticut's Economic Strategic Plan

RPA submitted comments yesterday on the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development's draft Economic Strategic Plan. RPA applauds DECD's efforts but calls for explicit policy objectives to guide state actions, better assessment of long-term costs and benefits, ongoing measurement of indicators that can demonstrate progress toward the State's goals, and stronger commitment to regional planning and governance restructuring. 

The plan, developed in response to a legislative mandate, describes a vision for a Connecticut with a "vibrant, diversified, and resilient economy" that promotes "responsible transit-oriented growth." Included is a proposal to sweep state discretionary municipal grant money into a "Responsible Growth for the 21st Century" fund which would award grants on a competitive basis to communities that plan for transit-oriented development. Other proposals would address the impacts of property tax dependence and would enable interagency policy consistency.