(Members of the Avon Chamber of Commerce at the Legislative Office Building for C.B.I.A. Connecticut Business Day. L-R Robin DiNicola, Kevin Colvin, Sylvia Colvin, Sandy Duffy, Lori Macgowan, Claudia Rucci, Cheryl England, Jim Gordon, Lisa Bohman and John Shea.)

Chamber Members Attend Business Day at the Capitol

HARTFORD - Hundreds of business leaders from across the state arrived at the Legislative Office Building on March 25 to urge state lawmakers to adopt proposals that can help solve Connecticut’s fiscal and economic challenges for Connecticut Business Day sponsored by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (C.B.I.A.).

The Connecticut Business Day program included roundtable discussion between legislative leaders and business representatives; there were breakout sessions to discuss top issues focusing on the state budget, transportation, and labor and employment. The final session consisted of regional meetings between legislators and their constituents, where the business leaders could speak directly to their local representatives.

Hanging in the balance is whether policymakers will make the right decisions to get the state back on track. Jim Gordon, Director of Public Relations & Marketing for The Salvation Army in Southern New England, and President of the Avon Chamber of Commerce, said, "It's always a wonderful opportunity to speak to our political leaders directly. Our representatives need to know that their decisions affect us all. They have impact on everything we do. They need to hear how small decisions can have big consequences and that it is not just to balance the budget on the backs of disadvantaged people less. This is a quality program that C.B.I.A. and the Association of Chambers of Commerce offer to their members and I wish more business people would get more involved."