(Watch) On April Fool’s Day, CT Senate GOP Blast Democrats for Failure to Make CT More Affordable

“April Fool’s?”

CT Families Aren’t Laughing.

Senate Republicans Blast Democrats
for Failure to Make CT More Affordable

(Watch the press conference here.)

Senate Republicans on April Fool’s Day blasted supermajority Democrats for failing to make Connecticut more affordable as Democrats offer legislative proposals to make the state even more unaffordable for working families.

“Supermajority Democrats are playing Connecticut families for fools,” Sen. Stephen Harding said. “Here we are, on April Fool’s Day, and what have Democrats done to lower your taxes, your electricity bills, your grocery bills or your insurance bills? Nothing. Connecticut families aren’t laughing. Their budgets are being crushed. Meanwhile, Democrats continue pushing policies to make Connecticut more unaffordable. Democrats at the State Capitol will endlessly blame Washington DC, because they know they own Connecticut’s affordability crisis.”

Under Democratic leadership, Connecticut now ranks:

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

Just this year alone, Democrats have championed a bevy of bills that will only make Connecticut even more unaffordable, including: ‘An Act Establishing a Capital Gains Surcharge,’ ‘An Act Concerning a Climate Change Superfund,’ and ‘An Act Concerning Unemployment For Striking Workers.’ It is clear our state is on the wrong path, with our quality of life eroding under current leadership.

Connecticut Senate Republicans have put forth a comprehensive plan to save families thousands of dollars a year. It effectively eliminates the car tax for working families, limits property tax increases, lowers income tax burdens for working class families, and reduces electricity bills.

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

“There are 35 days remaining in the 2026 legislative session,” Sen. Harding said. “Where is the sense of urgency among supermajority Democrats to make Connecticut more affordable? Stop playing Connecticut families for fools. This isn’t a joke. This is a crisis that Connecticut Democrats have created. Let’s work together to provide the significant and permanent relief that Connecticut families need and deserve.”