Rep. McGorty Opposes Plan to Raise Gas Prices
HARTFORD — Following a joint news conference with Republican leaders and advocates at Minuteman Park in Hartford, State Representatives Jason Perillo (R-113th) and Ben McGorty (R-122nd) joined their colleagues in speaking out against proposals that would raise gas prices for Connecticut residents.
According to the Shelton legislators, the Governor’s proposed Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) amounts to an $88 million tax on gasoline purchases within the first year.
“Many have been forced to work remotely for the past year, which has certainly saved households on fuel costs, but Connecticut residents will be in for a rude awakening once they begin commuting again and are welcomed back to the pumps by a new tax on gasoline,” Rep. Perillo said, who also serves as Deputy House Republican Leader. “Improving our transportation infrastructure and protecting the environment are laudable, even bipartisan goals, but creating a new gas tax amid a pandemic and economic downturn is not. Fuel costs in Connecticut are high enough as it is, and consumers will not only see a difference when refueling their vehicles, but also in stores once businesses begin passing the added cost of the TCI tax onto their customers. This is a mistake and there are certainly better and more cost-effective ways to address climate change.”
“Along with a budget proposal of $1.9 billion in new taxes, the majority party wants to add an additional cost onto our state’s already enlarged gas tax. But worse than that, none of the revenue raised under this plan would be spent on the roads and highway improvements this state badly needs. Instead, this money taken from drivers will be directed back to the bigger cities without any legislative oversight to make sure it’s spent responsibly. Regardless of how the Governor tries to spin it, this proposal will make gas more expensive for Connecticut drivers at a time when people are just beginning to feel comfortable travelling again,” said Rep. McGorty, who serves as an Assistant Republican Leader in the House.
The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) would establish a ‘cap-and-invest’ model by forcing private fuel wholesalers to purchase carbon credits at auction. Distributors are expected to pass on these costs leaving families and businesses paying higher gas prices, along with more in associated goods like groceries.
Additionally, revenues from the program wouldn’t be pledged to the Special Transportation Fund’s ‘lockbox’, instead going into a new account with no legislative oversight.
While TCI was conceived as a regional compact of 13 states, only a handful have so far agreed to implement it, with many states balking at the required costs for commuters. Environmental activist groups like the Sierra Club have also withdrawn their support for the program, arguing it doesn’t do enough to address climate change.
The Shelton lawmakers encourage constituents to learn more about the negative impacts of TCI at cthousegop.com/StopTheGasTax.
After the bill passed a vote in the Environment Committee in March, it has been placed on the Senate calendar, where it awaits further approval before the session ends on June 9th.
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