Conn. GOP Lawmakers Try to Stop Gas Hike

Legislative Republicans are trying to rally Connecticut drivers to urge Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to stop a looming increase in gas and diesel taxes.

Republican lawmakers held a petition drive on Monday in an effort to put pressure on the Democrats, the legislature's majority party.

The petroleum gross receipts tax is a percentage of the wholesale price of gasoline and is charged to companies distributing petroleum products in Connecticut. It is scheduled to increase 16 percent on July 1, from 7 percent to 8.1 percent. That tax is in addition to the state's regular 25-cents-per-gallon gas tax and the 18.4 cents-per-gallon in federal gas taxes.

Meanwhile, the diesel tax is scheduled to increase 3.5 cents per gallon. Democrats criticized GOP members for originally backing the tax increase in 2005.

Associated Press/NBC Connecticut

 

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