Hartford Business Journal

4 Hartford Business Journal • February 12, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Briefs Third-party Amazon retailer to build $1.5M home base in Suffield A Southwick, Mass.-based Amazon Prime third-party home goods seller, JSW Media Inc., is moving its operations to Suffield as part of a plan to build a $1.5 million warehouse and distribution facility in the town. JSW Media President Jeff Wasilewski, who is a Suffield resident, says he expects to close soon on 1.5 acres of town-owned land at 1100 South St., which will house the new 14,600-square-foot facility. JSW is paying $77,500 for the land, according to Town Planner Bill Hawkins. Wasilewski said he hopes to break ground when weather permits and possibly occupy the new building, which will house an additional unnamed tenant, by late summer. JSW Media has eight employees. New Spanish eatery to debut at Goodwin Hotel this spring Chef Tyler Anderson and partners are opening a new restaurant at the Goodwin Hotel in the Capital City on April 17 featuring Spanish fare. Slated to debut on tax day, Porron & Pina will replace the Harlan Brasserie, which closed in November. The Spanish style wine bar will feature small plates like tapas and a cocktail bar — "a throwback to Old Hartford, an old school, rustle-up to the bar with classic cocktails," he said. Head chef is Chris Bateman. "I've traveled a lot to Spain and love it there," Anderson said, describing the inspiration. His intention in differentiating his menu, he added, is to avoid competing directly with nearby Max Downtown. Anderson's other restaurants include Millwright's Restaurant & Tavern in Simsbury and the Cook & The Bear in Blue Back Square in West Hartford, which opened eight months ago. Justice Rogers to join Day Pitney in Hartford Chase T. Rogers, retired chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, will join Day Pitney LLP's Hartford office as a partner in the litigation department, effective March 19. Rogers, whose resignation from the bench was effective Feb. 5, will also serve as a member of the law firm's appellate practice group, said managing partner Stanley A. Twardy, Jr. Rogers became chief justice in 2007, after serving as an Appellate Court judge, and before that, a Superior Court judge in Connecticut. CT solar jobs flat as broader industry contracts The U.S. solar industry has been going gangbusters since 2010, but it experienced a mostly expected slow down last year, according to annual job tallies conducted by the nonprofit Solar Foundation. The foundation said the U.S. solar industry lost 9,800 jobs, or 3.8 percent of its workforce, last year. The industry had 250,271 workers as of Nov. 2017, the foundation said. It was the first decline since 2010. Meanwhile, Connecticut ended the year with 2,168 solar jobs, flat from 2,174 in 2016. That number is up from about 200 in 2010. Connecticut currently ranks 20th in per-capita solar jobs. The industry last year was coming off record growth in 2016 — which was fueled by the renewal of a key federal tax credit for solar projects in late 2015. Installed capacity is projected to fall again this year to around 10.1 gigawatts. Democrats promise boldness in 2018 session and campaign Connecticut House and Senate Week in Review TOP STORY Malloy pushes legislature for election-year budget cuts, tax hikes U nveiling his final budget proposal, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy challenged legislators to take politically difficult steps to close modest deficits in the current, two-year budget and mitigate larger shortfalls looming after the November elections. Malloy, who is not seeking re-election, recommended eliminating a middle-class income tax credit; boosting cigarette, hotel and real estate conveyance taxes; closing a sales tax exemption for over-the-counter medications; and stretching out spiking teacher pension costs similarly to last year's restructuring of government contributions to the state employees' pension. Spending growth in the $20.7 billion proposal is limited to 0.3 percent while many programs would face cutbacks compared with the preliminary 2018-19 budget adopted last October. During his final State of the State address, Malloy also pitched a "fairness" agenda, calling for a $15 minimum wage, family paid medical leave and pay equity legislation. The Democratic governor also is proposing to spend $100 million to continue rehabilitating Hartford's XL Center and $16 million to construct parking that supports redevelopment around Hartford's Bushnell Center for Performing Arts. Others changes that would impact the business community include: maintaining but decreasing to 8 percent a temporary corporate surcharge; increasing the hotel occupancy tax from 15 percent to 17 percent; repealing 7/7 brownfield tax credit program; and eliminating the $500 credit for STEM graduates. BY THE NUMBERS 8% The value of a corporate tax sur- charge Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is proposing as part of his revised fiscal 2019 budget, which is lower than the current 10 percent surcharge. 1,175 The number of points the Dow plunged Feb. 5, its worst day since Aug. 2011. 17% The hotel occupancy tax recently proposed by Malloy, which would be an increase from the current 15 percent rate. 2,168 The number of solar jobs in Connecti- cut last year, according to the Solar Foundation. TOP 5 MOST READ On HartfordBusiness.com • 1. Justice Rogers to join Day Pitney in Hartford • 2. Third-party Amazon retailer to build $1.5M home base in Suffield • 3. Tesla to mount attempt No. 4 at the Capitol • 4. Malloy's revised budget affects business taxes, tax credits, XL Center • 5. Poll: CT residents unhappy about budget resolution, other issues STAY CONNECTED For breaking and daily Greater Hartford business news go to www.HartfordBusiness.com HBJ on Twitter: @HartfordBiz HBJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HartfordBiz HBJ on Linkedln: www.linkedin.com/company/ the-Hartford-Business-Journal Daily e-newsletters: HBJ Today, CT Morning Blend www.HartfordBusiness.com/ subscribe Weekly e-newsletters: CT Health Care Weekly www.HartfordBusiness.com/ subscribe Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gave his final State of the State address, calling for a Connecticut fairness doctrine that includes increasing the minimum wage. Chase T. Rogers, Partner, Day Pitney LLP PHOTO | HBJ FILE

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