Mar 28, 2008
STATE:
Frey attacks 'massive tax bills' in Hartford
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State Rep. John Frey, (R-111th District) has expressed disappointment with what he called “the massive tax bills” heard at a public hearing March 24 in the Legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.
“In my ten years on the Finance Committee, I have never heard such unrealistic and misguided proposed tax increases,” he said.
Rep. Frey, who is a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, heard testimony on several bills which would raise taxes on all Connecticut residents. “Raising taxes — especially in back-to-back years of surplus, simply doesn’t make sense and I know the people of Ridgefield would be in agreement.”
Senate Bill 709, An Act Increasing The Property Tax Credit, while raising the property tax credit from $500 to $1,000, would create two new state income tax brackets of 5.5% for single filers of those making $271,000 and $542,000 and 5.75% for joint filers of those making $500,000 and $1 million.
Rep. Frey said, “This bill raises income tax rates and makes Connecticut less competitive relative to states that have lower tax rates or do not have an income tax at all. It wasn’t that long ago when the income tax rate was raised to 5%. When are the Democrats in Hartford going to realize that Connecticut does not have a revenue collecting problem, they have a spending problem. It’s time to tighten the state’s belt and turn off the money spigot.”
Another bill, House bill 5929, An Act Concerning a Municipal Option to Levy Local Taxes would allow each municipality by vote of its legislative body to impose a local sales tax, a local income tax and expand the property tax to items not specifically exempted by state law in addition to what Ridgefielders already pay in state and local taxes.
“I can’t imagine a state-permitted tax code that allows different income and sales tax rates in each town. Here is another example of the Democratic supermajority evading their duty to be fiscally responsible instead they take a pass and let the local leaders do their dirty work. The legislature needs to say no to unfunded mandates to towns and put in place other spending restraints,” added Rep. Frey.
Rep. Frey said that the mayors of Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven and New London presented the testimony on behalf of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. “The mayor of New Haven summarized the group’s feelings when he said ‘we simply need more things to tax,’ — at least he was honestly representing their point of view, but to permit local sales and income taxes is unacceptable.”
The final bill heard was House Bill 5980, An Act Concerning a Share of Sales Tax Revenue for Regional Programs, and the Open Space Tax Credit Program. The bill would increase the sales tax rate from 6% to 6.5% and give the extra .5% in revenue which is about $400 million to regional planning agencies to distribute to the towns.
“This bill gives false hope. These regional planning agencies will be used to again funnel money to the big cities and leave towns like Ridgefield holding the bag,” concluded Rep. Frey.
Rep. Frey, House Minority Whip, serves the 111th Assembly District of Ridgefield in the state House of Representatives.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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