by Brent Addleman
An agreement ratified by the General Assembly will keep a military company in Connecticut for years to come, Gov. Ned Lamont said.
The governor announced an agreement has been finalized with Lockheed Martin to keep its helicopter manufacturer in the state through 2042. Sikorsky will sustain more than 7,000 jobs in the state under the new deal which could expand helicopter lines being produced at its Straftord facility.
“I can’t overstate the significance of what this means for Connecticut workers, not only for those who work directly for Sikorsky, but also for the people who are employed by the 242 suppliers located all throughout our state that contract and do business with this worldwide-leading aerospace company,” Lamont said in the release. “This agreement will maintain and encourage the growth of thousands of high-tech, good-paying jobs in Connecticut for at least the next two decades. Today’s overwhelming, bipartisan vote to ratify this agreement shows just how much this state values our partnership with Sikorsky.”
House Bill 5505 was approved by the House in a 130-14 vote and 34-1 in the Senate. Lamont said he will soon sign the bill into law.
According to the release, the two-decade agreement calls for any new lines of helicopters Lockheed Martin, parent company of Sikorsky, to be produced in the state. The pact also calls for the company to receive sales and use tax offsets, plus tax credits, as part of a performance-based portion of the contract.
The company currently has facilities in Stratford, Bridgeport, Shelton, North Haven, and Trumbull.
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Brent Addleman is an Associate Editor and a veteran journalist at The Center Square with more than 25 years of experience. He has served as editor of newspapers in Pennsylvania and Texas, and has also worked at newspapers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky.
Photo “Ned Lamont” by The Office of Governor Ned Lamont. Background Photo “Lockheed Martin” by Lockheed Martin.
