Posted on February 11, 2019 by admin
As you may have heard, Senate President Martin Looney is proposing a sales tax increase for Connecticut. His bill, Senate Bill 475, would increase the Connecticut sales tax rate to 6.85 percent. According to his proposal, the additional revenue would be distributed back to the municipality where the transaction took place. Regardless of where revenue goes, this bill would raise taxes on Connecticut’s residents.
As a member of the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, which has oversight over our state’s tax policy, I would like to hear your opinion on this proposed tax increase.
The committee will hold a public hearing on this proposal on Wednesday, February 13th, at 11 a.m. in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
In addition, the following bills will also be part of the public hearing and may be of interest:
House Bill 5699, AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEDUCTION AND WITHHOLDING OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX FROM PENSION PAYMENTS.
This proposal would eliminate the requirement that income tax be deducted and withheld from pension payments unless the payee has submitted a CTW4P withholding certificate to the payer. I heard from many constituents that the 2017 law, which this bill seeks to reverse, created confusion and led to an automatic 6.99 percent withholding on pensions.
House Bill 6262, AN ACT EXCLUDING HEALTH AND ATHLETIC CLUB SERVICES FROM THE SALES TAX.
This proposal would eliminate the sales tax on dues and initiation fees at health clubs and gyms. I proposed this legislation because I feel that our tax code should not punish an individual for taking the initiative to try to get healthy and fit. Many states do not impose sales taxes on these services and I believe Connecticut should join them.
House Bill 6464, AN ACT IMPOSING A TAX ON LIQUID VAPING PRODUCTS.
This is a bipartisan proposal that seeks to tax liquid vaping products at the same percentage as tobacco products.
For a full public hearing agenda, please click here.
If you would like to testify in person on any of the bills within the Finance Committee’s agenda, please click here for instructions and let me know if you plan on coming up.
If you are unable to testify in person, expressing your opinion can be as simple as sending an email as public testimony on the proposal. Below are the instructions on how to send in brief testimony:
Please note: All public testimony is entered into the public record, and may be accessible via search engines like other public documents.
As always, if you would like to speak with me about a concern regarding state government, please email me at Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov or call 800-842-1423.
Sincerely,
Follow my legislative activity and sign up to receive my newsletter at: www.RepCarney.com
Posted on February 7, 2019 by admin
I invite you to join Senator Formica and myself for our upcoming Office Hour in Old Lyme. This event is an opportunity to meet with us in a relaxed setting and discuss any legislative or local issues, including the 2019 legislative session, which convened on January 9.
This event is free and open to the public.
As always, if you would like to speak with me about a concern regarding state government, please email me at Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov or call 800-842-1423.
Sincerely,
Follow my legislative activity and sign up to receive my newsletter at: www.RepCarney.com
Posted on January 22, 2019 by admin
State Representatives Jesse MacLachlan and Devin Carney voted in favor of a public-private partnership with Connecticut banks today that will aid Connecticut federal employees who are currently not receiving pay because of the Federal Government shutdown.
Under the bill, affected employees are eligible for up to three loans from a bank, each equal to their monthly after-tax pay, up to $5,000, less unemployment benefits. The bill prohibits interest on the loans for 270 days after the shutdown ends.
“It’s unacceptable that the Federal Government isn’t paying workers that are working important jobs that protect our country and state,” said Rep. MacLachlan. “We should be looking at more ways we can implement public-private partnerships to make our state more affordable for hard-working families. I encourage residents who are concerned with the federal shutdown to contact our Congressman and U.S. Senators.”
“There are currently 1,500 eligible workers impacted by the Federal Government shut down in Connecticut, and roughly 200 of them are deemed essential and cannot collect unemployment, which is just not right. For example, Coast Guard employees are not getting paid, but they are still carrying out essential duties like tending to public safety and performing search and rescue operations – just to name a few. These individuals and all that they do are absolutely critical to shoreline communities like the ones I represent, and for this reason I voted in favor of this measure,” said Rep. Carney.
The bill also authorizes municipalities and municipal subdivisions to establish a tax-deferment program for such employees’ real and personal property or motor vehicles taxes, or water.
In addition, if federal law or guidance allows them to do so, authorizes such employees to receive unemployment compensation benefits (generally, federal employees that must work without pay during a shutdown are ineligible for unemployment benefits).
