Kara Rochelle

We were successful at moving the Lamont Administration to rethink the state Department of Revenue Services’ (DRS) policy that unilaterally expanded the sales tax, not in line with the approved budget. The governor has asked DRS and the Office of Policy & Management [OPM] to better align DRS’s interpretation with the intent of the state budgets.

On Monday, I joined Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter in expressing to Commissioner Scott Jackson our displeasure with the DRS interpretation of the sales tax.

Read our full letter to the Commissioner here.

I've always maintained the budget could have been better, containing both aspects to like and dislike.  Adjusting the prepared meal tax at all was certainly a provision I did not support, as it puts an unnecessary burden on middle and working class taxpayers.

Unfortunately I don't get to approve or vote down individual proposals within the budget, as we get one large (nearly 600-page) budget. This is the same budget that closed a $3.7b deficit without raising income taxes or the sales tax rate as a whole.

It's the same budget that eliminated taxes on social security for the majority of residents in the state, reduced pension taxes for the majority of residents, eliminated the business entity tax, provided record increases in municipal aid to Ansonia and Derby, and provided our residents with countless other increases in services (more funding for Meals on Wheels, funding for Ansonia students to attend Derby's Manufacturing Program, etc.). To vote no on the budget would have been a no vote on all those items too.

When you get one vote, you judge the document as a whole.

DRS’s move to expand what counts as a prepared meal—which was not part of the budget—was met with swift action by myself and my colleagues.  Should anyone have questions on this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to be in touch.

Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and concerns you may have on Kara.Rochelle@cga.ct.gov or 860-842-8267. Follow my Facebook page for regular legislative updates.