Governor Dannel Malloy spoke to members of the Business Council of Fairfield County Wednesday – focusing on Connecticut’s job growth.

“In the 6 years before I became Governor in the state of Connecticut, the state of Connecticut had interaction made investments or loans in or investments or loans to 200 companies. That’s it. In the two years since I became Governor, we have already invested in and made loans to 550 companies,” said Governor Malloy.

In 2012, two Fortune 500 companies, Charter Communications and Tronox, Inc., moved their headquarters to Stamford.

“The reality is, we have to build on our strengths, and Stamford in this marketplace is a strength,” said the Governor.

Governor Malloy says the last time large firms might have moved to the state was in 2006. Each year, the business council hosts these events to hear about the state of Connecticut’s economy.

“What’s going to happen at the State Capitol is very important for what’s going to happen in Fairfield County. With the Governor, he’s facing a major operating deficit of a billion dollars a year. So the question is, ‘what went wrong, how are you going to fix it, and what’s the implications for Stamford and Fairfield County?’,” said Joe McGee, the Council’s Vice President.

On Feb. 6, Governor Malloy will present a budget. He faces a projected gap of 1.2 billion dollars for the next fiscal year.

“It’s my hope that we will balance that budget with some tough cuts, which is what we’re going to have to make on a same services bases. But that will do that without raising taxes,” said the Governor.