“Can’t Afford CT…
…Can’t Afford CT Democrats!”

CT Senate GOP Unveils Plan to Effectively Eliminate the Car Tax for the Working Class, Reduce Electricity Bills and
Deliver Working Class Income Tax Relief

Proposals Would Permanently Reduce Burdens by Thousands of Dollars

(WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE.)

The Connecticut Senate Republican Caucus today unveiled a comprehensive plan which effectively eliminates the car tax for working class families, limits property tax increases, lowers income tax burdens for working class families, and reduces electricity bills.

“Can’t afford Connecticut?” Sen. Stephen Harding asked. “Neither can we. Decades of Connecticut Democrat policies have made our state unaffordable, but they blame Washington DC in an attempt to distract from their own policy failures. The Senate Republican plan will save families thousands of dollars a year. If not now, then when?”

Sen. Ryan Fazio said, “After many years of one-party rule in Hartford, our state has become deeply unaffordable. Families are hurting and they deserve better. Today, my Senate Republican colleagues and I are introducing a comprehensive reform plan to make Connecticut affordable and create economic growth for all. The past eight years under Gov. Lamont have been characterized by high taxes, electricity bills, and red tape that has made the state unaffordable. Our caucus is focused on introducing long-term solutions that reduce taxes, electric bills, and healthcare costs for families across our state.”

Under Democratic leadership, Connecticut now ranks:

• 3^rd highest tax burden
• 3^rd highest electric rates
• 3^rd highest property taxes
• 48^th in new business creation
• 7^th lowest in business friendliness
• 2^nd highest wealth gap

The Senate Republican Caucus is advocating for the following:

WORKING CLASS CAR TAX ELIMINATION:

• 100% refundable income tax credit for single filers making less than $100,000 and joint filers making less than $200,000 on property taxes paid to towns on their cars
• No loss of revenue to towns
• Maintains existing $300 property tax credit

WORKING CLASS INCOME TAX CUT:

A $1 billion income tax cut

• 40% reduction for single filers making $50,000 and joint filers making $100,000
• 16% reduction for single filers making $100,000 and joint filers making $200,000
• Eliminate income tax for single filers making $25,000
• Up to $1600 in tax relief for joint filers, up to $800 for a single filers (not including the car tax elimination)

The Senate Republican Caucus’s Affordability Plan also includes:

• Institute a Property Tax Levy Cap for municipalities of the greater of 2% or the cost of inflation. Towns are allowed to override the cap for major projects with 60% vote at referendum
• Eliminate occupational license fees for professions including: electrician, HVAC, plumber, teacher, realtor, speech and language pathologist
• Reduce Democrats Payroll tax (CT Paid Family Leave) by 20%
• Implement the Bipartisan Supported Association Health Plans
• Cut All Public Benefits Charges from electric bills for end use customers of each electric distribution company and move such expenses to the state budget process
• Cap Power Purchase Agreements at 2.5 times the wholesale price of electricity
• Prohibit PURA from Enacting Programs with Ratepayer Impact without Legislative Approval
• Immediate study by state agencies on how to reduce the costs of living and working for the people, businesses, municipalities, and non-profit organizations of Connecticut

“Our entire Senate Republican Caucus will fight to get these common sense affordability measures passed, and we invite majority Democrats to focus on the damage they have done to people’s wallets instead of pointing the finger at Washington DC,” Sen. Harding said. “Can’t afford Connecticut… can’t afford Connecticut Democrats! Senate Republicans will continue asking that simple question until we eliminate the car tax for working families, significantly reduce electricity bills, and dramatically lower the cost of living in our unaffordable Democrat-run state.”