Posted on March 11, 2022
HARTFORD – Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) are demanding that Governor Ned Lamont immediately convene a bipartisan meeting with legislative leaders to discuss the Republican proposal to suspend the state’s petroleum gross receipts tax. The Republican leaders are urging their colleagues to vote on the measure when the legislature is next scheduled to convene on Wednesday, March 16.
“Every day it is getting more and more difficult for Connecticut families to balance their household budgets as we face rising inflation and skyrocketing gas prices. The people of Connecticut need relief at the pump, and they need that relief today,” the Republican lawmakers wrote to Governor Lamont.
“Our proposal can be implemented immediately and is budget neutral. It does not jeopardize any infrastructure spending or investments. It does not require cuts to any programs, services, or projects. It stays within the parameters of the state’s windfall of sales and gas tax revenue collected as a result of inflation and would direct those specified surplus funds to this targeted tax relief.”
The lawmakers emphasized that their proposal would maintain all infrastructure investments and guarantee savings from a tax cut are passed on to consumers by embedding protections in legislation and utilizing new strengthened price gouging laws to support enforcement.
“Promises for tax credits or rebates in the future are insufficient and ignore the severity of the financial burdens that are crushing working- and middle-class families. Connecticut residents are making difficult choices every day to keep their family budgets intact. They need relief now, and the state is in a position to provide this relief immediately while still maintaining all infrastructure investments,” they wrote.
The Republican leaders are also urging Gov. Lamont to contact President Biden to join their calls for a suspension of the federal gas tax. While other Democratic governors have urged Biden to act, Gov. Lamont has yet to call for federal gas tax relief.
Read the letter from Republican leaders to Gov. Lamont here.
