Blotting His Copy. Alarm Grows in Tech Industry as Lamont Expresses Interest in Digital Ad Tax.

Governor Ned Lamont has become a serious obstacle to Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman’s efforts to attract data centers to Connecticut.

Dozens of lobbyists representing tech interests will gather in an emergency meeting Thursday afternoon to determine how to thwart H.B. 5645. That’s state Representative Holly Cheeseman’s proposal to levy a tax on digital advertising. The East Lyme Republican received a recent call from Lamont expressing his interest in and admiration for the bill. The East Lyme Republican disclosed her conversation with Lamont to members of the permanent government. Alarm ensued among the tech companies Lamont has deployed Lehman to attract to Connecticut, where relentless job losses continue.

Lamont has done nothing to ease concerns. A common apprehension is growing that Lamont will entertain any tax that does not affect his wealthy Greenwich neighbors. That means opposing a statewide property tax and an increase in the capital gains tax.

Astonishment in the tech community, long dismissive of Connecticut’s economic policies, has grown from brushfire to wildfire in the past week.