Your summer vacation might be getting more expensive.
The national average for a gallon of gas has hit $5 – a new all-time high, according to AAA.
With the cost of so many things increasing, some think something more needs to be done and state republicans are calling for a special legislative session to help folks out.
With fill-ups now costing as much as $100 or more, drivers in Connecticut are paying a near record for regular – almost $5 a gallon - and $6.16 for diesel, according to AAA.
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“I miss being kind of not pouring my life savings into gas,” said Steve Torlai of Torrington.
“Trying to plan vacations and take trips with your kids and you have to take into consideration how much it’s going to cost you in gas,” said Brittany Teddick of Torrington.
To help provide some relief, state republicans are now traveling the state to promote a plan they call An Affordable Connecticut with ideas for tax cuts.
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On Monday, they rallied in Torrington, hoping to send a message to the governor.
“Do something. The people of Connecticut are struggling,” said Bob Stefanowski, R – Candidate for Governor.
Proposals to use state surplus funds include lowering the income tax for certain taxpayers, expanding the tax holiday to diesel and reduce the sales tax and eliminate the meals tax.
In response to the ideas and call for a special legislative session, Senate Democrats referred to a statement they put out earlier this month.
They called the republican outline, “a return to the fiscal irresponsibility of the past and a betrayal of future generations of our state.”
“Let’s get together, have a conversation, figure out what we can cut and how much because there is a lot of room to cut,” said Sen. Craig Miner, R – Torrington.
Recently, democrats have been touting hundreds of millions of dollars in tax cuts that were passed as part of the state budget. Those include the child tax rebate and a gas tax holiday, which cuts a quarter off the ever rising cost of each gallon.
“Hopefully they can figure something out because it is getting ridiculous,” Teddick said.
Republicans are planning more rallies throughout the state during the rest of June.
A spokesman for Governor Lamont pointed out the recently-passed tax cuts were the largest in state history and all but two republicans voted against them.
