The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper.
Senator Needleman’s piece about his bill ‘to hold Utilities Responsible’ was recently published in this paper. It is feel-good legislation about which many consumers would approve but it does nothing to make Connecticut a better place to create jobs and make our state more likely to attract business and keep our residents from leaving our state.
However, I have recently heard in the media about a number of proposals which are being put forward which deserve the Senator’s negative attention:
- one proposal is a state car tax which would in effect take tax revenue that the towns depend upon and send that money to the state coffers. If the towns are deprived of the car taxes they will simply have to raise mill rates on real estate to make up the loss. In effect vehicle owners will be double taxed.
- another proposal will force small towns to regionalize their school systems. While regionalization is considered by some to be a benefit because of supposed cost savings which do not materialize it takes away from voters the ability to be in charge of their schools and further concentrates power over schools in boards which are less responsive to parents.
- Tolls are simply another way for the state to increase revenue (i.e. tax us more) and then have no incentive to cut spending. No to tolls.
- Increasing the sales tax to 6.85% or by any amount, taxing medicine and groceries are all incentives for more people to leave Connecticut. Our Senator should speak out against these proposals.
I understand that legislators propose such things and then say that these will never pass or will be modified in committee and that their legislation is just to get the conversation started.
Senator Needleman should consider proposing some bill to reduce spending in some specific area to start a conversation! One suggestion would be to cap retirement benefits to highly paid state employees. You can contact Senator Needleman at needleman@senatedems.ct.gov to make your opinions known.
All the best,
Ed Munster
Haddam, CT
