| State Senate Minority Leader John
McKinney released the following statement today in the
wake of Governor Rell's announcement that she supports
capping the state gross receipts tax on gasoline. In his
statement, McKinney took issue with recent remarks by
Democratic leaders who said rising gas prices are a federal
problem over which the state has no control.
Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield):
"Hiding behind the failures of our federal government
is not leadership. Speaker Amann and Senate President
Williams want you to believe that there is nothing the
state can do to help reduce the price of gasoline. That's
because they want to continue to spend the hundreds-of-millions
of dollars in windfall profits the state is reaping
from the growing energy crisis. Well, the last time
I checked, neither President Bush nor the Democrat controlled
Congress had control over our state gas taxes.
"The truth that the Democrat leaders choose to
ignore is, as state legislators, there is one factor
contributing to the high price of gasoline that we can
control, and that is the state gas tax. Currently, Connecticut
gas taxes cost motorists more than 50 cents / gallon
- one of the highest rates in the country. Since April,
Republican legislators have been fighting to reduce
that rate by cutting the gross receipts tax and permanently
capping it. This will prevent the tax from increasing
every time the price of oil goes up.
"Democrat leaders questioned whether Governor Rell
would support capping the gross receipts tax. Either
they forgot or chose to ignore the fact that Governor
Rell proposed capping the tax two years ago. Regardless,
now they have no excuse. With Governor Rell's leadership
and support, we are a step closer to providing a measure
of relief to Connecticut families and businesses who
are struggling to pay some of the highest gas prices
in the nation. Legislative Democrats are the only impediment
standing in the way of lower gas taxes in Connecticut."
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