| Senator Rob Kane (R-32) has joined
other Republican legislators in signing a petition calling
for a special session to cut and cap Connecticut’s
“hidden” state tax on gasoline.
“Connecticut drivers want, need, and deserve
to know that we are doing everything possible to provide
meaningful relief at the gas pumps. And, so far, the
General Assembly has not done everything within its
power to provide that relief. What we need to do is
cut and cap this hidden state gas tax, the Petroleum
Gross Receipts Tax, and we need to call a special session
as soon as possible to do it,” said Senator Kane.
To date, Senator Kane said that all Republican Senators
have signed and submitted petitions to Secretary of
the State Susan Bysiewicz calling for a special legislative
session “to cut and cap the Petroleum Products
Gross Receipts Tax and require that such tax reduction
be passed on to consumers in order to provide immediate
relief for Connecticut motorists.”
“I strongly encourage all legislators who have
not already done so to sign this petition,” said
Senator Kane, adding that signatures from a majority
of legislators from both houses would require the Secretary
of the State to call a special session.
The state charges both a flat 25 cents-per-gallon
state excise tax and a Petroleum Gross Receipts Tax
which is levied as a percentage of the wholesale price
of gasoline. At the current rate of seven percent, the
Petroleum Gross Receipts Tax costs consumers approximately
26 cents per gallon. However, this tax increases every
time the price of gas increases.
“Most of us never dreamed that it would ever
cost us $65.55 to fill a 15-gallon gas tank, and are
less than pleased that $7.65 of that goes right into
the state coffers. It is even more appalling when you
know that this Petroleum Gross Receipts Tax was originally
increased to pay for transportation projects, but that
it is generating so much income that nearly 60 percent
of what it brings in is going into the state’s
general fund instead of for transportation. Because
of record gas prices, the state is taking in about $200
million in windfall revenues. We need to do the right
thing, and leave that money in the pockets of Connecticut
citizens,” said Senator Kane.
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