Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • April 4, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com Mayor Luke Bronin recently told lawmakers and fellow leaders at Hartford Business Jour- nal's third annual Municipal Collaboration Summit held recently at the Hartford Hilton. "I don't think we have enough time to play the same incremental game that we've played for a long time." Leaders don't have the luxury to pick places for small symbolic wins, Bronin said, urging municipal leaders to generate the will to regionalize more quickly. "If we're really going to do this and we're going to turn this state into an economic pow- erhouse that is competing and winning jobs, not losing them, I think we have to funda- mentally rethink how we do business at the municipal level," Bronin said. House Speaker Brendan Sharkey (D-Ham- den) provided the drastic fiscal backdrop to the conference, noting a tepid revenue-growth forecast for the state of about 2 percent a year. That isn't projected to improve as lower-paying jobs generating less tax revenue continue to replace high-paying ones lost in the recession. The fallout has been budget deficits estimated at $220 million in the current fiscal year – which lawmakers voted to close last week – $900 million next fiscal year, and $1 billion-plus in subsequent years. The fiscal reali- ties underscore the need for regional effi- ciencies in munici- pal governments and school districts, which are facing cuts after largely being held harmless since the recession, he said. "Maybe we should tie the giving of a state grant to an effi- ciency that the locals need to achieve … and if you do it, you get your grant, if you don't, you don't – that's the kind of thinking that we are adopting right now," Sharkey said. Public safety answering points (PSAPs), which receive emergency calls and dispatch emergency services, are a clear target for sav- ings, Sharkey said, calling them "the lowest of low-hanging fruit" for municipal collaboration. The state has 107 PSAPs, according to Lyle Wray, executive director of the Capi- tol Region Council of Governments. Har- ris County, Texas, home to Houston and a population exceeding Connecticut, has one, Wray said, asking attendees to guess which jurisdiction paid more for its services. Sharkey said police chiefs oppose a bill to shrink subsidies to the call centers and criti- cized their stance. "I love police chiefs … but they've got their head in the sand and they don't get it," Shar- key said. Sharkey said PSAPs are in his "crosshairs," but they're not alone among inefficiencies. Despite the need to improve regionaliza- tion, successes are happening, several con- ference speakers noted. Connecticut has laid a foundation for effi- ciencies, including: Establishing the Regional Performance Incentive Program, which is a capital source for towns and regions to col- laborate; establishing the Nutmeg Network, which brought high-speed Internet fiber con- nectivity to towns, giving them the opportu- nity to share resources and software and collaborate in other ways to achieve savings; and eradicating outdated statutes that pre- vented towns and cities and boards of educa- tion from collaborating, Sharkey said. John Elsesser, president of the Connecti- cut Council of Small Towns and town man- ager in Coventry, cited myriad examples of things his town is doing to save money. Continued DON'T MISS THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL NETWORKING EVENT OF THE YEAR 13 th Annual Partners in Achievement Breakfast FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 7:15 – 8:00 a.m. Networking/Breakfast | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Program Hartford Marriott Downtown | 200 Columbus Boulevard Hartford, CT Partners in Achievement Breakfast JA's 13 th annual Partners in Achievement breakfast in Hartford is a celebration. During the breakfast program, which begins at 8:00 a.m., you will hear firsthand from children, educators and volunteers from local schools who have all experienced JA programs in the Hartford region. We promise you will be inspired! This event is considered one of Hartford's best opportunities to network with the region's top business leaders. From 7:15–8:00 a.m., while you network with old and new friends, you will also have a chance to mingle with JA students. During this time, you will be treated to a sumptuous full breakfast. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to network and support the more than 37,000 young people JA will serve this school year. Please be aware that this is a fundraising event and guests will be asked to make a contribution during the program. Please reserve your spot at JA's 13 th annual Partners in Achievement breakfast by contacting Jeremy Race at 860-525-4510 ext. 225 or jrace@jaconn.org. from page 1 Towns look for savings Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin says regionalization will be key to helping solve the Capital City's budget crisis. FOCUS MUNICIPAL COLLABORATION SUMMIT RECAP P H O T O | J . F I E R E C K P H O T O G R A P H Y

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