It is getting tiresome and frustrating to hear the nationally sponsored criticisms of Connecticut. Sorry Betsy Devos, sorry Rick Scott, sorry to whoever cited Waterbury and New Haven as bad places to live. Connecticut is a great state and while we have our problems we are still a great place to live and to do business (sorry CBIA).

We are very educated performing number two in the country on standardized tests. We are still one of the highest in per capita income. What bothers me most is when you look around us, every state is opening casinos. A relative told me there are 14 proposals for new casinos around Albany, four new in Massachusetts, two new already running in New York City. All the former industrial states have the same problem – loss of private sector manufacturing.

If there is any one reason for our budget problems it is that. And yet other states are not getting the negative press that Connecticut is getting, even though their taxes and cost of living are higher - and in my own opinion Connecticut out charms them all (of course, I am biased). It is time we started hitting back!

Alfred Fritzsche

Mystic