Posted on February 22, 2023
HARTFORD—State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and his House Republican colleagues were compelled to use a parliamentary procedure to circumvent Democrat opposition to a bill that would save inflation-weary businesses and residents money by eliminating the new highway use tax (HUT) on heavyweight trucks.
Republicans petitioned to raise H.B. 5290, An Act Eliminating the Highway Use Tax, after the Finance Committee’s Democratic leadership refused to even hear it. Republicans on Tuesday secured the required 51 petition signatures to force a public hearing on the bill.
Rep. Bolinsky, who opposed the highway use tax when it was passed and was among several lawmakers to propose legislation to repeal it in 2023 and 2022, was shocked that the Finance Committee had no plans to hold a public hearing after so many members opposed this new tax, behalf of their constituents.
“I strongly objected to the truck tax during House debate in 2021.The truth is the ‘Truck Tax’ was bad policy then and its bad policy now, it has negatively affected the cost of everything we buy as consumers, particularly as diesel fuel prices remain high.”
Passed by the Legislative Democrats in 2021, the HUT is levied according to a truck’s weight, classification and number of miles traveled in Connecticut. Targeted truck owners are required to obtain a permit to remit payments to the state, and it’s expected to generate $90 million in annual revenue. The HUT became effective Jan. 1, and businesses subjected to the tax are expected to make their first payments to the state on Feb. 28.