Gov. Ned Lamont reminds investors and hedge fund executives he’s ‘the business guy,’ while taking a few swings at Connecticut’s outdated government

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Connecticut is grappling with a fusty, outdated state government and an economy hampered by a protectionist impulse, Gov. Ned Lamont told an elite business group this week.

The Greenwich businessman-turned-politician, speaking Tuesday at the annual gathering of the Greenwich Economic Forum, took a few swings at customs and practices in state government. His videotaped comments were made available Thursday.

Lamont, who won critical support from organized labor in his 2018 bid for governor, told the gathering he’s the “first business guy to lead this state in many, many decades and we inherited a little bit of a mess.” He cited a $3.5 billion deficit, a population decline, back-to-back tax increases and the loss of General Electric Co. that headed to Boston.

Lamont criticized, even mocked, outdated government practices, rapped car dealers for their opposition to legalized Tesla sales in Connecticut, said public employee unions and politicians are too slow to adapt to technology in state government and called the legislature “cantankerous” and a “little cranky.”

“We’re trying to change the perception of what we do,” he said.

The Greenwich Economic Forum is an annual event for investors, business owners, economists and others discuss the U.S. and global economy, financial trends and other money matters. Its A-list speakers this week included, among others, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and Ray Dalio, chairman of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s biggest hedge fund.

Lamont cited his appointment of Sibongile “Bongi” Magubane as commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles as an example of how he’s looking to boost technology in government. She came from the insurance industry with expertise in information technology.

“Everybody loves to kick around the Department of Motor Vehicles and I said let’s go,” the governor said. “Let’s use a little technology. She’s been in the job two years and you now can renew your license in your pajamas having a latte at home in bed on your iPhone.”

Advancing information technology in state government is “not easy to do because labor sometimes thinks it’s going to be taking their job and politicians say, ‘Why do I want to invest in IT? It’s going to benefit my successor and not me.’”

“You wouldn’t believe walking around state government,” Lamont said. “Every office I went to was wall-to-wall file cabinets. People walking around getting a piece of paper, coming back,” Lamont said, as he took a few steps from the podium pretending to hold a piece of paper.

“There are still a few things we’ve got to do,” the governor said. “The legislature can be a little cranky. You can’t buy a Tesla in the state of Connecticut. Can you believe it? The automobile dealers association said, ‘No.’ So we’ve got a little bit of work to do about that.”

Sarah Fryxell, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, said permitting manufacturers to bypass the franchise system will destroy thousands of jobs. “Connecticut’s new car dealerships are a proven system to sell electric vehicles and help Connecticut reach its EV goals,” she said.

Car dealerships, a politically powerful lobby because of their community activities and presence in virtually all House and Senate districts, have repeatedly beaten back efforts in the General Assembly to allow Tesla and other electric car manufacturers to sell directly to consumers, bypassing dealerships.

Lamont also criticized a 2017 Connecticut law signed by his predecessor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, that bars online eye exams and prescription renewals for contact lenses. Backers say it’s pro-consumer while opponents said it was intended as a protectionist measure to benefit optometrists. Lamont agrees with the critics.

“I was a little surprised: One day I called up 1-800-Contact-Lens. They said, ‘Sorry, there’s been a law passed. You have to now go to an optometrist before you can get your contact lenses online,’” the governor said. “The optometry association contacts the legislature and things happen.”

“I said, ‘I hope I don’t have to go to a podiatrist before I get a new pair of shoes,’” he said.

“There’s a certain mentality, but I love this state,” he said.

“This state, I thought, had a real confidence problem,” he said. “That first year was pretty tough, working with a cantankerous legislature.”

He took credit for a balanced budget without raising taxes.

“I didn’t get any Republican support. Any Republicans here?” Lamont asked the audience. “Yeah, I could have used a little support.”

The governor, who has yet to announce if he will seek re-election next year, said involving business, which had previously been “stiff-armed,” was among his top priorities. He listed several recent corporate relocations into Connecticut, such as Phillip Morris Inc. and ITT Inc.

“People are taking a second look at the state of Connecticut because we got our fiscal house in order,” Lamont said. “They’re taking a second look at the state of Connecticut because we’ve managed COVID pretty well.”

Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com.