Shared Sacrifice? Not Really

Thanks to our leaders at the state level, Connecticut residents will receive a great surprise beginning with their August 1, 2011 paycheck.

That is when the Department of Revenue Services begins implementing the new $875 million state income tax increase.

The tax hike, which adds three new tax rates, is retroactive to Jan. 1. That means the state's tax agency, has five months to collect 12 months' worth of tax obligations.

So between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31, the additional withholding will be about 2.4 times MORE than what will be applied starting in January 2012.

Additionally in July, the sales tax goes up and items such as clothing under $50 (now exempt) will be taxed.

For us in Windsor, the extra state income tax withholding comes in addition to the property tax increase resulting from the budget put forth by the Town Council and ratified by the residents at the May 10 budget referendum.

In short, at a time of record unemployment, soaring food and gasoline prices, unprecedented foreclosure rate and plummeting real estate values, politicians at the state and local level chose to take more money from seniors and working families – the real middle class – while indulging  special interest and the unions.