CERC Releases Statewide Economic Research Findings
11/08/2007
Contact:
Kristi Sullivan, 860-571-6213
The economic performance of Connecticut's urban centers and their linkages to surrounding areas is a highlight of a new report - produced by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC) - entitled Communities, Connecting to Compete: The Geography of Growth.
CERC's study is centered on the state's metropolitan-suburban connectivity and how Connecticut's urban areas can continue to compete on a regional, national and global level. Implications of the findings include: economic market realities are inconsistent with political boundaries of towns and the state - a problem that is especially true in Connecticut because of the small size of its towns; the economic assets of the state's urban centers are predominantly found in these areas; and while a majority of manufacturing jobs have been lost in the urban centers, some of these areas have overcome the legacy while others have not.
"Connecticut has many agencies and organizations set up to address different aspects of community growth in the state. But they operate as silos and do not take into account the economic market realities that face our communities," said CERC President and CEO Robert Santy. "It's critical that statewide economic development efforts be organized around communities' competitiveness and that investments be made more strategically."
The report's executive summary will be released and findings will be presented at the 2007 Research and Policy Conference tomorrow at Northeast Utilities in Berlin, co-hosted by CERC and the Connecticut Regional Institute for the 21st Century. The conference is part of a joint effort to identify issues regarding Connecticut's economic growth and address connections necessary to compete in the 21st century.
"As our economic development team oversees the formation of a statewide competitiveness strategy during this next year, research such as CERC's will be invaluable for providing perspective and insight," Governor M. Jodi Rell said. "Regional linkages are key to building a strong economy and they represent an important component of the smart development initiatives we are implementing throughout Connecticut."
About CERC
Based in Rocky Hill, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that provides objective research, marketing and economic development services to local, regional, state and utility entities and policymakers. CERC is a public-private partnership, funded primarily by utility and telecommunication companies, with a mission of making Connecticut a more competitive business location.