Our State in an “Us vs. Them” Year Luther Turmelle tells us to keep an eye on the consumer confidence index, median home prices and the job recovery rate (“2014 Economic Outlook,” page 33) as indicators of Connecticut’s economic progress in the coming year. We should add two more predictors: disunity and mixed messages in an election year, and the state’s financial commitment to promoting the “Connecticut” tourism and economic development brand. Connecticut faces serious questions about how slowly we’ve recovered from the 2008 recession, the increased tax burden of the past few years and another looming state budget deficit. It will make for another competitive, and likely close, gubernatorial election in 2014. We can’t, however, afford to lose an entire year of progress on economic recovery as Republicans and Gov. Dannel Malloy fight over what has gone wrong, what has gone right and how to move forward. Tom Foley, a 2014 candidate who lost to Malloy by the narrowest of margins in 2010, aired a TV ad in the New York City market after Democrat Bill de Blasio was elected mayor there Nov. 5 urging city residents unhappy with his intended “liberal” direction to move to Connecticut … but only if and after Foley unseats Malloy this fall. Implicitly, Foley was telling city residents and businesses not to move to Connecticut if Malloy is reelected—an irresponsible, harmful message from someone who wants to lead our state. Policies on taxes, spending and economic development will have a huge impact on growth in Connecticut’s job and housing markets. But so will public perception and confidence. Wouldn’t it be great if both parties could have a gloves-off debate about policy while being united in a message of confidence in Connecticut’s status as a place to live and do business? We hope, also, that there will be unified, bipartisan support for continuing the kind of marketing that helps overcome the damage already done by the drumbeat of negativity about Connecticut. The twoyear, $27 million “Still Revolutionary” tourism campaign that Malloy launched last year is said to have increased tourism spending in the state by more than $161 million. We can’t afford to have promotion of the “Connecticut” brand be a one-time thing or a partisan discussion. Matt DeRienzo mderienzo@21st-centurymedia.com Twitter.com/mattderienzo contributors “RAGS TO RINGSIDE” (PAGE 28) Erik Ofgang is a freelance writer who lives in New Fairfield. He writes about history, science, politics and the arts, and is currently pursuing his MFA in Creative and Professional Writing from Western Connecticut State University. When he’s not writing he can be seen playing bass with the Celtic roots band MacTalla Mor. “2014 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK” (PAGE 33) Luther Turmelle is the New Haven Register’s North Bureau Chief. A 16-year veteran of the paper, he covers Cheshire and Wallingford and handles the newspaper’s business coverage. Before that, Turmelle spent 10 years at the Bridgewater (N.J.) Courier-News in a variety of roles. He has been quoted in The New York Times and a variety of other publications, and has also appeared on the Fox News Network. “DARK SKIES” (PAGE 40) Jennifer LaRue Huget is a freelance writer and former health blogger and columnist for The Washington Post. She is also the editor of Connecticut Explored magazine and the author of four picture books for children.