CT Republicans: Suspend State Gas Tax

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut legislative Republicans are calling for the state to suspend its gross receipts tax on gasoline until July 1 amid skyrocketing fuel costs.

Republicans are also calling for the federal government to suspend the 18.4 cent tax on gasoline. Combined, the suspensions would cut 44.8 cents per gallon from the cost of gasoline.

The proposal would cut tax revenue by $180 million through July, according to legislative Republican leaders. They proposed using surplus tax revenue to offset the loss.

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“Connecticut can afford this today,” Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly said. “Our state has a surplus in revenue collected from taxpayers as a result of inflation. This windfall must be returned to Connecticut taxpayers to provide relief.”

Connecticut was getting back to a sense of normalcy after two years of the coronavirus pandemic, but that is being upended by high gas prices, House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said.

“Residents have been caught off guard by this dramatic increase in our gas prices, which is sending people potentially back into isolation,” Candelora said. “People are now deciding whether they’re going to go to an event, go to work, bring their children to different opportunities.”

Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal submitted a bill earlier this week to suspend the federal gas tax until Jan. 1, 2023.

Gov. Ned Lamont said he would work with the state legislature to explore a suspension of the state gas tax.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski also called for the state to suspend its gas tax until 2023.