Ferraro & Staneski Support Sikorsky Jobs Package

From the Connecticut General Assembly:

State Reps. Charles Ferraro (R-117) and Pam Staneski (R-119) strongly supported a key legislative package to keep Sikorsky in Stratford for another 16 years and shore up thousands of jobs for the region, including almost 700 employees who live in Milford.

The deal gives Sikorsky $220 million in grants and tax exemptions in exchange for building 200 new Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift cargo helicopters in-state. In return, Sikorsky will be required to expand their workforce to more than 8,000 workers by 2032, increase its capital spending in Connecticut by 22%, and more importantly, double their spending of $350 million per year with Connecticut-based suppliers.

According to the Milford lawmakers, Milford has twenty-seven Sikorsky supply-chain companies that will benefit from the CH-53K being built. That 27 Sikorsky supply-chain companies is the most of any municipality in the state.

These supply-chain companies are the small- and medium-sized businesses that employ hundreds of highly skilled local residents in Milford.

Rep. Staneski said, “I cast my vote to support the plan. It is a plan that calls for Connecticut to give Sikorsky up to $8.6 million annually over the life of the agreement if it meets certain key benchmarks for job growth, payroll spending, and use of in-state suppliers. It will now be incumbent on us to make sure Sikorsky holds to their word.”

Rep. Ferraro said, “Keeping Sikorsky in Connecticut keeps jobs in Connecticut, plain and simple. We can ill-afford, to chance, let Sikorsky leave state. These supply-chain manufacturers are the small companies we need to stay and grow in our state. I shudder to think what would happen if these Milford companies and jobs were forced to close.”

Photo courtesy of the Connecticut General Assembly