State aid to hedge fund is spiritless

Connecticut OKs $22M package

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A commission approved a $22 million loan and grant package Friday to help the world's largest hedge fund upgrade and expand its offices despite questions about whether the deal makes financial sense for a state facing continued budget problems.

Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy said he wished Connecticut didn't have to compete with other states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island by offering money to keep or attract companies, but that was the reality. He said the agreement with Bridgewater Associates will ultimately be a good investment for the state.

"If we are to win any of these competitions, then we have to participate in the same way as the states and the commonwealth we're competing with," said Malloy, who was unsuccessful last year in trying to persuade General Electric to keep its longtime corporate headquarters in Fairfield. The corporate giant is moving to Boston, where it will receive more than $150 million in grants and other incentives from the state and city.

Under Connecticut's agreement with Bridgewater, which manages approximately $150 billion in investments for institutional clients, the hedge fund will receive $5 million in training and energy assistance grants and a $17 million low-interest loan that will be forgiven if it keeps its promises for new and retained jobs in Connecticut. Bridgewater pledged to create 750 jobs by the end of 2021 while keeping an existing 1,402 in the state.

Bridgewater is planning to spend $527 million to expand its facilities in Westport, Wilton and Norwalk. Malloy said Connecticut's investment in the expansion project is relatively small, noting that the state was competing with its neighbors for those new jobs.

The State Bond Commission approved the deal on a 7-2 vote.

State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, a Democrat, voted no. While he has supported previous aid packages for private industry, Lembo said, "This case stands out as the state now faces a new economic reality."

The state has been dogged by declining state revenue and a series of stubborn state budget deficits, with more projected in future years. The General Assembly recently passed a revised $19.7 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that attempts to cover a projected $960 million deficit by making deep cuts across state government, including social service programs. Nearly 1,000 state employees have received layoff notices in recent months.

In voting no, Lembo sided with fellow State Bond Commission member Chris Davis, a Republican state representative from Ellington. They argued that Connecticut should work with companies on ways to improve the state's overall business climate and make investments that help all state businesses rather than narrowly targeting state resources to one company.

Malloy, however, stood by the deal.

"I think leadership requires a willingness to do things that aren't necessarily popular," he said.

Based in Westport, Bridgewater was founded by Ray Dalio in 1975. It serves clients that include central banks and foreign governments. Dalio, a billionaire, lives in Greenwich.

Malloy also noted the importance of keeping him in the state, noting the effect on New Jersey when billionaire hedge fund manager David Tepper moved from there to Florida. That resulted in a decrease in tax revenue for New Jersey, which, like Connecticut, is the biggest share of cash in its coffers.

"We see what happens in places like New Jersey when some of the wealthiest people move out of states," Malloy said.

Business on 05/28/2016

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