Declarations

Every opportunity
“Independent agents continue to hold their own in terms of market share despite unprecedented advertising campaigns from direct writers. The independent agent distribution model is viable, flexible and entrepreneurial. Opportunity exists for independent agents and brokers in every market and in every product line.”

Big “I” CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt on release of the latest market share report showing independent agents more than holding their own.

Growth problem
“We do have a growth problem here.”

Jeff Blodgett, vice president of research for the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, speaking as Connecticut’s venerable insurance industry was celebrated at the state Capitol. Connecticut has the highest concentration of insurance carrier jobs in the United States and ranks first in gross state product generated by insurance carriers. But other states are competing. Iowa has increased insurance carrier jobs by 8.8 percent in the past 10 years, while Connecticut’s insurance job growth rate was just 2.4 percent.

Political climate
“This is coming. And I know there is no great political constituency for it, but we can avert these disasters for not very much money if they can be put into the public debate and people understand clearly what’s going to happen.”

Former President Bill Clinton, speaking at a forum sponsored by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government on why governments fail to plan for disasters like hurricanes, heat waves and obesity. He said they fail to act even when disasters are anticipated because leaders are distracted by fulfilling campaign promises and scrambling to respond to immediate emergencies.

Mass. budgets
“Escalating prices are absorbing a larger share of revenue growth, which means fewer resources for other services, which puts more pressure on property taxes. “It is the biggest fiscal crisis facing every city and town in Massachusetts.”

Samuel R. Tyler president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, a government watchdog group, noting that rising health care costs now eat up 9 percent of municipal budgets, up from 6 percent in 2001.

Jury trial
“We believe there’s a very good argument that he’s entitled to a trial by jury.”

John Tarantino, attorney for insurance broker and former Rhode Island state Senate President William Irons, facing civil conflict-of-interest charges before the state Ethics Commission, who wants a jury to hear his case. An attorney for the commission prosecuting the case said she believed it was the first time anyone had asked to replace the commission hearing with a jury trial.