Connecticut News

Lamont’s Proposed “Tax Relief”

With a $3.1 billion rainy day fund and a $4.8 billion surplus, Lamont had tax-cutting options galore. But to no one’s surprise, the tax relief has been minimal and in many cases temporary. “After raising taxes by over $6 billion in the last decade, CT Democrats are trying to sell … temporary relief in an election year as a panacea,” said Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford).

The Republican tax-cutting plan, which was worth roughly $1.2 billion over the next year, “is one of the more intellectually honest ones,” added Ken Girardin, research and policy director for the Hartford-based Yankee Institute, a conservative think-tank. “They are at least trying to route that money back to where it came from.”

“Frankly it’s insulting to Connecticut families, seniors and small business owners,” said Republican candidate for Governor Bob Stefanowski.

Lamont’s proposed “tax relief” is a prime example of election-year gimmicks from CT Democrats. For three years, Lamont and CT Dems teamed up to whip up new taxes and fees on CT residents. But now that election year is rolling around, they want to change that narrative.

Connecticut Republicans acknowledge the high cost of living and tax burdens in our state. That’s why we have proposed real tax relief, including an income tax reduction for working and middle-class families. CT Republicans also proposed eliminating the income tax on pensions and annuities, the 1% meal tax, and the truck tax.

SEBAC Labor Agreement

What does the Labor agreement do? More than 40,000 unionized state employees would receive $3,500 each in special bonuses by mid-July. There would also be a 2.5% general wage hike this fiscal year and in each of the next two. This deal affects 43,000 state employees.

Governor Lamont knows that his re-election campaign is in trouble. That’s why he decided to hand out bonuses months before November. Connecticut won’t fall for Lamont’s political payoffs.

Sema4 Scandal

“But one of Sema4’s financial backers — Oak HC/FT, a well-regarded healthcare venture capital firm that invested millions of dollars in the startup — has what some see as an uncomfortably close connection to the governor’s office: One of its founders and managing partners is Ned Lamont’s spouse, Annie Lamont.” (CT Mirror)

Annie Lamont remained a management partner at Oak HC/FT, even while the state was awarding multi-million dollar contracts to a company in which Oak HC had a significant investment in.

How far will Ned Lamont go to enrich himself and his family while simultaneously wasting taxpayer dollars?

CT Crime Stats

New FBI data for 2019-2020 shows an increase in homicides and car thefts in Connecticut. According to FBI data, the rate of homicides rose 30% in Connecticut from 2019 to 2020. There was also a 40% increase in vehicle thefts in Connecticut.

Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, ticked off the statistics on the boards behind him — 2021 figures, to date, he compiled from city police department reports and compared to the previous year. A 61 percent increase in murders in Hartford. A 37.5 percent increase in New Haven. And in Waterbury, a 28.6 percent uptick in homicides and 23 percent increase in car thefts. Hartford is already seeing a spike in shootings this year, with rates steadily higher than pre-pandemic levels.

CT Democrats consistently ignore the rise in crime, attributing it to national trends. Connecticut residents, however, are not satisfied with that. Republicans remain committed to reducing crime in CT by supporting
common-sense reforms that stop crime at its source.