Connecticut Senate & House Republicans Urge Motorists to Sign Statewide Petition to Stop July 1st Gas Tax Hike

Hartford, CT – State Senate Republican Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield), State House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. (R-Norwalk), and Republican legislators from across the state are gathering signatures for a petition to stop increases in the state gas tax and diesel fuel tax scheduled for July 1st. Motorists can sign an online petition by visiting www.AxeTheGasTaxCT.com. As of Monday morning, more than 6,000 people had signed.

“The taxes you pay on gasoline are set for a big hike in less than 10 days,” McKinney said. “Republicans will be getting the word out about this tax hike and telling consumers why this hike will take Connecticut in the wrong direction. These tax hikes are killing our economy and hurting Connecticut families and businesses.”

The gas tax in Connecticut is already about 22 cents higher than in neighboring states like Massachusetts and the July 1st gas tax hike would raise prices at the pump another 4 cents per gallon.

“This is about sending a message that we are sick and tired of new taxes,” Cafero said. “And we are taking that message directly to Connecticut consumers. They need to know who is supporting this hike and who isn’t.”

The tax set to increase (called the petroleum gross receipts tax) is a hidden state tax on gasoline that motorists pay above and beyond the state (25¢) and federal (18.4¢) excise taxes. This tax is a percentage of the wholesale price of gasoline and is scheduled to increase from 7% to 8.1% on July 1st (a 16% increase). According to the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association (CEMA), the average wholesale price of gasoline in Connecticut is currently $2.82/gallon and Connecticut state taxes on a gallon of gasoline total 45 cents.

At the same time, Connecticut’s Diesel Fuel Tax, which is based on the petroleum gross receipts tax rate, is scheduled to increase by 3.5 cents per gallon, which will increase trucking and transportation costs, causing a ripple effect that will increase consumer costs on everything from groceries and clothing, to construction, as well as other goods and services.

Legislative Republicans offered plans this legislative session in committee and in both the State Senate and State House of Representatives to eliminate the tax hike and they proposed several options to replace the lost revenue.

“We have repeatedly opposed this destructive tax increase and put forth credible, workable ways to balance the budget without increasing taxes,’’ Cafero said.

Republican legislators will be at gas stations across Connecticut promoting the petition from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. tonight, including the following locations:

• Senator Tony Guglielmo, Representative Sam Belsito, and Representative Tim Ackert will be at the Tolland Mobil Station at 56 Meadow Rd, Tolland, CT
• Senator Rob Kane will be at Big Daddy’s Gulf Station at 1633 Main St, North Woodbury, CT
• Senator Kevin Kelly and Representative Dave Rutigliano will be at the Food Bag Citgo Station at 442 River St, Shelton, CT
• Senator Art Linares will be at the Westbrook Mobil Station at 198 Essex Rd, Westbrook, CT
• Senator Joe Markley, Representative Lezlye Zupkus, and Representative Al Adinolfi will be at the Cheshire Gulf Station at 1125 Highland Ave, Cheshire, CT
• Senator John McKinney, Representative Tony Hwang, and Representative Brenda Kupchick will be at the Fairfield Citgo Station at 2047-2049 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT
• Senator Mike McLachlan will be at the Food Bag Citgo Station at 90 West St, Danbury, CT
• Senator Jason Welch and Representative Whit Betts will be at the Food Bag Citgo Station at 54 Farmington Ave, Bristol, CT
• Senator Kevin Witkos will be at the Simsbury Gulf Station at 125 West St, Simsbury, CT