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4 Hartford Business Journal • May 20, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com EDITORIAL Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139, gbordonaro@HartfordBusiness.com Gregory Seay | News Editor, ext. 144, gseay@HartfordBusiness.com Matt Pilon | News Editor, ext. 143, mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com Sean Teehan | Staff Writer, ext 145, steehan@hartfordbusiness.com Joe Cooper | Web Editor, ext. 127, jcooper@HartfordBusiness.com Stephanie Meagher | Research Director Heide Martin | Research Assistant Steve Laschever | Photographer BUSINESS Christopher Santilli | Publisher, ext. 124, csantilli@HartfordBusiness.com Donna Collins | Associate Publisher, ext. 121, dcollins@HartfordBusiness.com Lauren Stroud | Events & Project Manager, ext. 137, lstroud@HartfordBusiness.com Christina Zuraw | Events Coordinator, ext. 134, czuraw@hartfordbusiness.com Shannon Vincelette | HBJ Office and Events Coordinator, ext. 122, svincelette@hartfordbusiness.com David Hartley | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 130, dhartley@HartfordBusiness.com Kristen P. 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Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894 www.copyright.com HartfordBusiness.com (860) 236-9998 Carol Platt Liebau By Sean Teehan steehan@hartfordbusiness.com F rom toll proposals to state pension liabili- ties, there are many policy issues in Con- necticut for Carol Platt Liebau to weigh in on. And weigh in, she does. Liebau is president of the Yankee Institute for Public Policy, a Connecticut think-tank that pro- motes free market and small government solutions to state public-policy issues. The nonprofit group, which was founded in 1984, regularly commis- sions studies — or con- ducts them in-house — on major policy issues. Before becoming president of the Yankee Institute in 2014, Liebau worked as an attorney, author, political and policy advisor, and media commentator, appearing on PBS, the Fox News Channel, CNN and con- tributing to the editorial pages of outlets including The Hartford Courant, Los Angeles Times and Washington Times. Above all, Liebau said, she wants the Yankee Institute to make available to policymakers data that supports the group's limited-government philosophy. "I'm convinced that individuals and families can make better decisions for themselves than an impersonal, bureaucratic government can make for them," she said. What is the role of state-based think-tanks like the Yankee Institute? Up at the Capitol, plenty of special interests have people who are paid to represent them. At Yankee Institute, we consider it an honor and a privilege to serve as the eyes, ears — and voice — of the Con- necticut taxpayer. And we are grateful for the oppor- tunity to provide lawmakers with free-market policy alternatives to the same old, failed, high-tax, big gov- ernment ideas that constantly inundate them. What is the biggest Connecticut legislative is- sue of interest to the Yankee Institute that isn't being discussed much right now? Too little is being said about the danger to our state being posed by Connecticut's massive pension debt. Our state-employee, teacher and municipal pensions are so terribly underfunded that without meaningful reform, we are in jeopardy of massive tax increases being needed for the next two decades. That obviously will drive a vicious cycle: taxes go up, people leave, thereby shrinking the tax base, re- quiring even steeper tax increases for those remain- ing. The ripple effects are significant as this cycle occurs: declining home values, fewer jobs, a stagnating economy. At the moment, what would you say is Con- necticut's biggest strength and biggest weakness? Connecticut is a beautiful state with a proud history; resil- ient, highly educated people; and a fantastic location midway between New York and Boston. But we struggle with laws that have kneecapped our state by weighting the deck in favor of government unions. For example, Connecticut is one of only four states that collectively bargains for government pension benefits and the only state that allows government union contracts to override virtually all state laws. Business interests are split on the issue of tolls. What do you think businesses should be most concerned about regarding toll proposals? I think we all can agree that our state's job creators should expect their government to tell them the truth about important issues so they can base their decisions on facts, rather than on hopes and wishes. But as Yankee Institute's investigative jour- nalism established, the state's rosy scenarios about the out-of-state revenues resulting from tolls were based on biased studies, conducted by a company that's a dues-paying member of an international tolling advocacy group. Newsmakers 860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134 MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES SERVICE SOLUTIONS…ONE SOURCE The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For over 50 years, our clients have trusted us to deliver end-to-end facilities solutions, so they can focus on their core business. We are experts in: Facilities Services Preventive Maintenance Programs Onsite Operations & Maintenance President, Yankee Institute for Public Policy Carol Platt Liebau PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED