State Representatives Jason Perillo, R-113th District and Lawrence G Miller, R-122nd District and state Senator Dan Debicella, R-21st District blasted the Democratic majority’s budget proposal, which contains over $3.3 billion in new taxes to close the state’s deficit.
“Almost every tax in Connecticut is raised under the Democratic proposal. Governor Rell has offered a better way—to reduce the bloat of bureaucracy rather than increase taxes on the middle class,” Representative Perillo said.
The Democrats’ proposed two-year budget will aggravate and prolong the recession and throw thousands more Connecticut residents out of work if it becomes law, said Representative Miller, the senior member of the delegation.
“Their proposal to slap a three-year, 30 percent surcharge on the corporate profits tax would penalize successful corporations that employ thousands of Connecticut residents. They also want to reduce tax credits and eliminate tax exemptions for corporations that were put in place to attract new employers,” Representative Miller said.
“They have proposed the largest tax increase in Connecticut history,” said Senator Debicella. “The proposals target the middle class and small business with increased taxes—the exact wrong thing to do in a recession.”
The Democratic proposal contains increases in every major tax in Connecticut. Their tax increases include:
• Reducing the property tax exemption from $500 to $125 – a direct tax increase of $375 for almost every property owner in Shelton
• Expanding the sales tax to fifty new product categories, including parking, farm produce, and smoking cessation products
• Increasing the cigarette tax by 50 cents a pack
• Increasing income taxes on individuals making more than $132,000 on a sliding scale up to 8%
• Adding a 30% surcharge on the corporate tax for the next three years
• Adding a 30% surcharge to the estate tax for the next three years.
“For the average family in Shelton, this would be a $500-$750 per year tax increase,” Representative Perillo said. “That is completely unacceptable to us.”
The legislators instead all supported Governor Rell’s approach to closing the deficit. “The Governor’s budget has no new taxes, and maintains Shelton’s educational funding at $5 million,” Senator Debicella said. “Not raising taxes and maintaining the historic 9% increase in state education aid Shelton received in the last two years are my top priorities—and Governor Rell delivered on both.”
Let’s hope that when 2010 rolls around we can boot all these liberal politicians, who are causing our state to spiral out of control, out of office.
Keep up the good work!