Abstract:
The city of Bridgeport has suffered economically throughout the last 20-30 years. Much of this struggle can be traced to the loss of 19th and 20th century manufacturers coupled with poor fiscal management. In addition to Federal job development programs the State of Connecticut has actively pursued and offered a variety of tax-focused incentive programs to attract business to the state as well as it’s major cities. Despite these programs the City of Bridgeport remains reluctant to pursue these option or to create city specific programs. As a result other similar Connecticut cities are benefiting. The study identified a need for the city to implement a tax relief program for companies with less than 50 employees to encourage location into Bridgeport’s Enterprise Zone.
