Despite passing a two-year state budget with no major tax increases, Connecticut could be looking at a renewed debate over tax fairness. Keith Phaneuf, the Connecticut Mirror’s budget reporter, said the discussion during this recently-ended legislative session was the most vigorous in more than a decade.
“You’ve seen something that, even though the inroads that the progressive movement made might appear to be small, I think were substantial, and I think that it’s something that will continue to press Gov. Lamont and the state Legislature in the very near future. As in, the next two years,” Phaneuf said.
Phaneuf said lawmakers seriously debated proposals to raise almost $1 billion from wealthy residents and corporations, and send money back to poor and middle class residents and into cities.
The final $46.4 billion budget was adopted on a bipartisan basis, and does include tax relief to nearly 200,000 working poor households.
You can hear a wrap up of the state legislative session on the Steady Habits podcast at ctmirror.org.