I welcome you all. Especially the members of the General Assembly. You are the leaders of Connecticut's comeback. I'd like to congratulate you on your election victories. I hope we all benefit from the outside perspective of the freshmen lawmakers who join us today and from the wisdom of the newly elected leadership of both Houses.
Hard work creates opportunity.
And the hard work of the last two years is paying off for us now in tax cuts, welfare reform, new jobs, new business, smaller government and budget surpluses. We have recognized we are here to give the people the government they need today - not to protect the government they were given yesterday. The future of our state government will be shaped by creative thinkers who dare to imagine a new course and then have the courage to lead the way. By almost every measure we are headed in the right direction. Unemployment is down, welfare recipients are returning to work in record numbers, and business confidence is at its highest point in fifteen years.