Conn.'s unpopular local car tax remains unchanged
Conn.'s unpopular tax on cars remains unchanged despite legislative efforts to phase it out
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut's unpopular local tax on vehicles is staying on the books, despite efforts during the legislative session to phase it out.
A multiyear plan proposed by a bipartisan legislative commission failed to get enough support among senators and ultimately didn't make it into a key budget bill approved during the final hours of the legislative session, which ended Wednesday at midnight.
House Speaker Brendan Sharkey, who created the commission, said senators were misinformed about the proposal, which created a ceiling for how much cities and towns can tax vehicles. Over time, that ceiling would drop until the tax was eliminated, presumably by 2020. Sharkey said he plans to resurrect the idea next year.
In February, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposed slashing the tax — a proposal opposed by municipal leaders.
