Harding, Zimmer disagree on wisdom of tax credit for full deduction of car tax

By Scott Benjamin

BROOKFIELD – Connecticut is a suburban state with lots of traffic – from Exit 8, I-95 Stamford to the Miracle Mile, Brookfield; the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, New London; the Boston Post Road, Milford.

The late Dick Schapp – who hosted ESPN’s “The Sporters Reporters” and wrote/edited more than 30 books – once said that in New York City “you can take a two-minute subway ride and go from some of the richest people to some of the poorest.”

Connecticut doesn’t have a 24-hour rapid transit system with countdown clocks.

A little more than half of the states have a car tax.

Former Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R-Brookfield) tried to eliminate it in 2006 and former Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-Essex) took a swing in 2013, both to no avail.

Most prominently, municipal officials feared that, at least over the long term, that the state wouldn’t offset the revenue loss.

State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-30) of Brookfield wants to offset the car tax.

The municipalities would get the revenue – apparently easing their concerns – and the car owner could get a full deduction credit on their state income tax.

Harding declared, “It is one of the most regressive taxes in the state. Families find it difficult each year to pay that tax.”

He was initially elected to the state House in 2015 and on November 3 he will seek a third term in the state Senate District with the most land.

His opponent is Democrat Aaron Zimmer, the former chairman of the Brookfield Democratic Town Committee and the party's nominee two years ago in the 107th state House District.

Zimmer says based on his canvassing in the 18-municipality district -which stretches from Brookfield to Salisbury - the car tax is “unpopular with voters.”

However, he asserted, “Harding’s plan doesn’t actually eliminate it. It creates an income tax credit where the state reimburses folks later. He wants to pay for it by adjusting the volatility cap and there’s no guarantee that’s a sustainable idea.”

On another topic, Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Greenwich) has proposed legislation that, according to Jane Park of CT Mirror, would “allow municipal fair rent commissions to cap rent increases at five percent if a landlord purchased the residential property within the last year.”

Zimmer supports that plan, saying, “Prices are going up exponentially everywhere, People can’t pay their rent.”

However, state Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36) of Greenwich, the GOP candidate for governor, declared, told Patch.com in April that, “In the long run, rent caps will reduce the supply of housing. It will contribute to an increase in the cost of housing and a deliration in the quality of housing.”

Zimmer declared that rent controls would “help supply” since there would be more available renters.

“We’re also not building enough starter homes,” he exclaimed. “We have to build things that people can afford to buy.”

On another issue, Zimmer said he supports the recent efforts by the New England governors to acquire more nuclear energy capacity. For eons, Connecticut has had some of the highest electricity costs in the country.

He explained, “I support anything to increase energy supply – nuclear, wind, solar.”