Senator Cathy Cook, R-Mystic, today testified before legislature’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee in favor of Governor M. Jodi Rell’s proposal to eliminate the property tax on cars.
“When I spoke recently to the state association of municipal tax assessors, I mentioned that one of the things we should consider doing is eliminating the property tax on cars. I got a standing ovation, not because I was making such a recommendation, but because they were so much in favor of the idea. That is because local governments spent such an inordinate amount of their time trying to collect what amounts to about eight percent of their tax revenues,” said Senator Cook.
Senator Cook said that most taxpayers would benefit from abolishing the car tax, even though the trade-off is losing the personal income tax credit.
“Senior citizens who own no property other than cars do not benefit from the personal income tax credit. We can work on ways to address the concerns of those senior citizens who are worried about losing the personal income tax credit. And, in my district, we also have the military people who spend most of their time on submarines, but who pay property taxes on their cars while they are stationed at the submarine base. Eliminating this tax would benefit them,” said Senator Cook.
Senator Cook also testified in favor of proposed legislation calling for tax credits associated with the costs of making movies, and other types of commercial films, in Connecticut.
“Bringing movie-making to Connecticut has the potential to provide benefits to our economy that may not be readily apparent. When film companies come to shoot scenes in our state, they spend money at our small businesses buying lumber, construction supplies, food and catering services, hotel rooms and rental cars. There are very few programs of the state that are such specific help to the sales in our small businesses. And often, the benefits last long after the movie people have packed up and moved on. Remember when Mystic Pizza was made all those years ago? Even now, people visiting Mystic stop to have their picture taken in front of the restaurant, then go in and buy dinner and, maybe a t-shirt. All these years later, Mystic Pizza, the movie, is still helping the local economy,” said Senator Cook. |
