[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

"What many people may not know is that “Every time the price of gasoline increases the state collects more money and to increase the rate at a time when gas prices are approaching $3.50 a gallon is really beyond belief. We simply cannot allow these increases to happen,” Cappiello said.
The gross receipts tax is currently 7 percent, or about 19.2 cents per gallon. Add that to the 25-cent excise tax charged at the pump and Connecticut residents pay a whopping 44.2 cents to the state for every gallon they pump. The gross receipts tax is expected to go up to 7.5 percent on July 1.
Cappiello said that since 2005 the state has taken in an additional $141 million from the gross receipts tax."
Connecticut's Hidden Tax is Scheduled for an Increase (CT News Junkie) (http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/state_capitol/connecticuts_hidden_tax.php - broken link)

You are right Stratford, I forgot about the gross receipts tax on wholesale gas. I was only thinking of the tax at the pump. Jay

[JViello]

CT and taxes...goes together like peas and carrots.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by glxyman21

44.2 cents is not a lot per gallon. Many other countries pay more than this per each liter of fuel, and they have better infrastructure in all transportation modes to show for it.

I do not trust the politicians of this state to use my money constructively.

I think the first part (tax the hell out of gasoline) would work great, but the second part (build great infrastructure) would not happen.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

You want change? You're gonna get some change pretty soon. You see, Ct. changed things a little bit, i think about 2 years ago. They instituted a gross receipts tax on gas. So, when the price of fuel was skyrocketing, the state's coffers were benefitting from the higher gross dollar sales of fuel. Now, with the price of fuel having plummeted, they're collecting far less in gas tax, as the gross taxable cost has also plummeted. If fuel prices don't shoot back up soon, the state will need to make an adjustment(increase) in either the per gallon tax or the gross receipts tax.

An article in today's paper discusses this in more detail.

HARTFORD, Conn.—A steep drop in gas prices has created an estimated $100 million revenue shortfall in Connecticut's state budget for this fiscal year, which already has a projected deficit.

State officials thought the state's petroleum wholesale tax was going to raise more this year than the $340.7 million it brought in the year before. But at least a third of the expected revenue is gone because of the falling gas prices. The average price........................
Falling gas prices harm Conn. tax revenue - Greenwich Time (http://www.greenwichtime.com/aroundthestate/ci_11114221 - broken link)

[CrissCT]

Having just returned from visiting family in NY State for Thanksgiving and seeing gas there at least 30 cents per gallon more than Connecticut, I'm not going to complain.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

I do not trust the politicians of this state to use my money constructively.

I think the first part (tax the hell out of gasoline) would work great, but the second part (build great infrastructure) would not happen.

Wait, you mean when they were raking it in due to the high prices and people were hurting they laughed all the way to the bank?

Nooooo, not the government. They would only take what they need and give the rest back. Right?

When it's good for them, it sucks for us. When it bad for them, it sucks for us. See the theme?

[Tetto]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

An article in today's paper discusses this in more detail.

HARTFORD, Conn.—A steep drop in gas prices has created an estimated $100 million revenue shortfall in Connecticut's state budget for this fiscal year, which already has a projected deficit.

State officials thought the state's petroleum wholesale tax was going to raise more this year than the $340.7 million it brought in the year before. But at least a third of the expected revenue is gone because of the falling gas prices. The average price........................
Falling gas prices harm Conn. tax revenue - Greenwich Time (http://www.greenwichtime.com/aroundthestate/ci_11114221 - broken link)

What the state of CT need to do is layoff 20 percent of the state workers. Did you know that in our little 5000sq mile state there are 60,000 state workers? This is ridiculous and needs to stop. After the layoff there ought to be some hard and painful budget cutting.

[Ourdreamhouse]

I'm a big fan of small government. Even though i haven't lived in CT for 18 years, it seems apparent that CT government has become almost as bloated and inefficient as NY and NJ. Too bad, since it used to be much more sensible than its corrupt and wasteful neighbors. Anyone remember when CT had no income tax? That's partly why many high income Wall Streeters moved to Greenwich, instead of closer-in but higher tax towns in NY state.

That said, to support a small and efficient government, i favor weighting gas tax (vs. income or property tax) to raise revenue. This is the opposite of how NJ raises revenue (high property and income taxes, low gas tax) -- a failed model if there ever was one.

Gas taxes are one way to foster alternative energy development, and reduce our hostage payments to OPEC.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Tetto

What the state of CT need to do is layoff 20 percent of the state workers. Did you know that in our little 5000sq mile state there are 60,000 state workers? This is ridiculous and needs to stop. After the layoff there ought to be some hard and painful budget cutting.

You should note though that the one big difference between Connecticut and other states is that Connecticut does not have any county level of government so the state takes on the responsibilities that are covered by the counties in other states. This requires more state employees than other states. I believe if you look at the total number of state and county employees in other states, you will see we have less here. Jay