Seen at CTNewsJunkie:
Gov. M. Jodi Rell today asked legislative leaders to expand the legislature’s special session next week to allow for a vote on postponing the July 1 increase in one of the state’s two gasoline taxes. [...]
Earlier this week Rell said in order to postpone the half percent increase in the gasoline gross receipts tax the legislature would have to help her find $25 million in spending cuts to make up for the lost revenue, a suggestion that has one former Democratic state legislator crying foul.[...]
“Even if gas prices don’t increase at all from this point forward—the most basic simplistic assessment reveals that in FY 09, the General Fund will not receive the $311 million (that was projected last June) but will actually receive well over $410 million,” Pelto said in an emailed statement titled, “Reality Check on Gas Tax Issue.”
Although my inner conservationist was looking forward to Nutmeggers being further encouraged to conserve from the incremental increase in gas prices, I do have to admit that I get a depressing pang in my stomach every time I drive by a gas price sign. Not accelerating the increase in those numbers would be nice.
I am, however, truly disappointed that our state legislature seems disinclined to take the opportunity to have a revenue cut be an excuse for cutting other costs. After all, our state government agencies are, by and large, horribly inefficient. If we aren’t going to get a bang for our tax bucks, why not fund them according to the quality of service they currently provide?
Besides, the CTNJ article also points out that the state is expected to run at a deficit next fiscal year, in which case reducing spending in the face of reduced revenues is the sort of good sense you’d expect an elected leader to exhibit.
