South Carolina state Rep. Alan Clemmons was in Connecticut Friday on a mission
“We learned from your gun manufacturers they felt like they’d been thrown overboard by your legislature and your governor. So, I’m here to offer a lifeline,” Clemmons said.
A lifeline in the form of incentives from the Palmetto State, which has earned the reputation as one of the top 10 states in which to do business.
“They have an excellent technical college program, their real estate pricing is attractive, as are the state incentives and the regulatory and tax structure, so it’s definitely near the top of our list,” said Josh Fiorini, CEO of Bristol-based PTR Industries.
By the end of June, PTR will decide to which state it will move. Another gun maker, Stag arms of New Britain, which employs 200 people, was among five companies Clemmons met with Friday.
“We would be honored to be considered. I’d love to be able to, at the appropriate time, get you to South Carolina to let you see what we have to offer,” Clemmons said to Stag arms president Mark Malkowski.
To that, Malkowski said … book my flight.
“It would be an absolute pleasure to come there and to look at things that would be available for us in South Carolina.”
Malkowski says it will take up to a year to decide whether he will move the company out of Connecticut.