“Our intention today is to get the ball rolling in reforming this system,” said Sen. Cappiello. “For over a decade we have heard the calls for reform and we have witnessed the damaging effects of skyrocketing local property taxes, yet no action has been taken to even attempt to comprehensively change the tax system. We believe the time is now for everyone to come together in a bipartisan manner to do just that.”

Under the initiative, municipalities throughout the state would be provided with the authority to come up with their own tax mechanism should they choose to abolish their local property tax. It is the hope of the legislators that the initiative would allow municipalities to come up with different options to relieve themselves of the current property tax burden. Under the plan, a town choosing to use a new funding mechanism would be prohibited from imposing local property taxes.

"As rising property taxes increasingly threaten the ability of so many of Connecticut's citizens to remain in their homes, we must give towns the ability to think outside the box and reduce their dependency on the property tax," said Senator Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen).

The legislators indicated that in the coming days they will formally ask the chairmen of both the Finance Committee and Planning and Development Committee to assist them in moving the concept of changing the local property tax system forward. They also made it clear that they are open to other ideas.

“What we want is for people to come together with their ideas in how we can change this system,” said Senator Cappiello. “Local property taxes have risen exponentially and over the years and have placed a chokehold on many of our state’s residents. We’ve heard a lot of talk and rhetoric regarding this issue in the past, but nothing has been done. What we’re saying is let’s get to work and see what we can do to relieve this ever-growing problem.”