Hartford Business Journal

20 Hartford Business Journal • October 9, 2017 • www.HartfordBusiness.com EDITOR'S TAKE Connecticut has it right on gun control T he outrage expressed last week by Connecti- cut state and federal lawmakers in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre was palpable. Some even accused U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of politicizing a tragedy when they used tough words to describe Congress' inac- tion on gun-control measures. "To my colleagues: your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers," Murphy tweeted shortly after news broke that a lone gun- man killed at least 58 people and injured over 520 using a weapons cache that included souped up semiautomatic rifles. But politicizing tragedy in this case is the right move as mem- bers of Congress must face increased pressure to pass common- sense gun control measures. Simple changes like universal FBI background checks of gun buyers has the support of the majority of Americans, yet Congress has kowtowed to the influential gun lobby. A ban on bump stocks (which the Las Vegas shooter used to turn his guns into automatic weapons), assault rifles and high-capacity magazines also makes sense. The second amendment may be one of the most polarizing issues in American politics, but there are few reasons average Americans need access to military-grade weapons. Tightening access to them is good public policy, while still preserving Americans' right to bear arms. Gun controls, however, aren't the only answer to solving this nation's penchant for deadly shootings. The argument that tighter gun restrictions won't prevent "crazies" from gaining access to weapons is a legitimate one. More money must be invested in mental-health services to detect and provide care to individuals who may be prone to violence or other anti-social tendencies. Mandatory gun buyback programs also make sense to reduce the more than 300 million guns flooding American homes and streets, and to cut down on the most com- mon deadly gun offenses, including suicide, and street and domestic violence. Even then, this country will never be able to fully stop evildoers bent on violence from inflicting human harm (the policy sug- gestions outlined above, for example, may have done nothing to stop the most recent mass shooting). But that doesn't mean we shouldn't take steps to mitigate the risks. Connecticut has been a leader on this issue in recent years. Spurred by the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults, the state passed sweeping, bipar- tisan gun reforms in 2013, including univer- sal background checks on gun purchasers and a ban on new high-capacity ammunition magazines. The reforms also created the nation's first gun-offender registry and broadened the state's assault weapons ban, outlawing the sale of certain guns produced by Connecti- cut-based manufacturers like Colt's and Stag Arms. More money was also invested in mental-health services and programs. Even in a deep-blue state like Connecticut, however, passing tough gun reforms wasn't easy, which doesn't bode well for progress in Washington D.C., even in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting. In fact, we may be more likely to see fewer restrictions on deadly weapons (there's currently a bill being considered by Congress that would make it easier to buy gun silencers). That's why politicizing tragedy on such an important issue may be the only way to shift public opinion. OTHER VOICES Tax reform is a unique opportunity to drive economic growth By James T. Brett C ongress returned to Washington last month with quite a daunting to-do list. They were able to quickly check off a few items — helping storm victims, funding the government, and ex- tending the debt ceiling on a short-term basis. Still on this list are healthcare and immigration reform — both issues that will not be easily resolved. However, there is one important economic priority where we are seeing significant momentum and a general con- sensus from the White House and Capitol Hill, and that is tax reform. The last time Congress passed com- prehensive tax reform was over 30 years ago and few would argue that the time has come to update our nation's tax code. The New England Council believes that we must modernize our tax code in such a way that it will drive economic growth, increase American competitiveness in the increasingly global economy, and promote American innovation. While our members — which include businesses and organizations of all sizes across a broad range of industries — have various individual priorities, the Council offers several recommendations for our Congressional leaders as they tackle tax reform in the coming weeks and months. First, tax reform must be comprehen- sive. As House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) has often noted, "tax reform is truly one of those once-in-a generation opportunities." As such, a tax reform package deserves to be bold, and that means it should include both corporate and individual changes in the same deal. While the business community is, of course, concerned with how tax changes will impact their own industries and firms, they are also concerned with the well- being of their employees as well as the customers they serve. Making tax reform truly comprehensive will help ensure that all Americans benefit. Second, any tax reform legislation that moves forward should focus on simplifi- cation of the tax code. We hear time and again from our members that the tax code is far too complex; that it is difficult to monitor, hard to interpret, and at times harder to comply. According to some estimates, more than 4,400 changes have been made to the U.S. tax code over the past decade alone. By making it easier to file taxes and read the code properly, businesses will have the ability to spend less time and effort completing onerous paperwork and more time making and selling goods and serv- ing their customers. Third, reforms to our tax code must be permanent to provide certainty for busi- nesses. Knowing what to expect for years to come is critical in making long-term plans related to workforce, equipment and projected growth. In recent years, we have seen a number of temporary tax credits and short-term extensions, which have caused significant unease for busi- nesses. The certi- tude that comes with knowing what the country's tax code will look like long term is a critical element to help grow the economy, and it should be incorpo- rated into any tax reform package. And last but most certainly not least, our tax code must be updated to make American companies more globally competitive. We live in a global economy and many businesses based here in New England and across the country operate globally. The United States' worldwide system of taxation and a high corporate rate together create an uncompetitive tax regime that hinders companies' abilities to compete with foreign competitors and incentivizes inversions. An important goal of tax reform should be to level the playing field for American businesses by lowering the corporate tax rate and changing the way we tax overseas profits to promote domestic reinvestment of such proceeds. In addition, companies with similar operations should be taxed equitably, whether located within the United States or operating globally. As this debate moves forward, the New England region is fortunate that our inter- ests will be well represented by the dean of the New England Congressional delega- tion, Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), who earlier this year became the ranking member on the Ways & Means Committee. As Congressman Neal and his col- leagues on Capitol Hill continue this important work in the weeks and months ahead, we hope they will take these recom- mendations into account. Tax reform presents an extraordinary opportunity for our leaders to make much-needed and long-overdue changes that will drive economic growth, create jobs, and support continued innovation here in New Eng- land and beyond. James T. Brett is the president & CEO of The New England Council, an alliance of business, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England. James T. Brett Greg Bordonaro Editor The second amendment may be one of the most polarizing issues in American politics, but there are few reasons average Americans need access to military-grade weapons. Tightening access to them is good public policy, while still preserving Americans' right to bear arms. Opinion & Commentary

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