Looney, Duff Urge Governor Lamont to Implement Immediate Gas Tax Holiday Using Emergency Authority

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today urged Governor Lamont to implement an immediate one-month holiday on the state’s 25-cent-per-gallon gasoline excise tax, using emergency authority and contingency funds the General Assembly specifically extended to respond to federal economic disruption.

In a letter to the Governor, the senators noted that the General Assembly extended the Governor’s emergency authority to access a contingency fund containing hundreds of millions of dollars specifically to respond to disruption and chaos stemming from Republican mismanagement of the federal government.

“While President Trump’s reckless decisions continue to betray American consumers and drive up costs for Connecticut families, they validate our decision to equip you with emergency authority and resources specifically to mitigate Republican failures, and we urge you to use those tools now to deliver relief at the pump,” said Senators Looney and Duff.

“This action would provide relief while we continue working on longer-term affordability policies through our legislative agenda. We encourage you to work with fuel retailers to ensure that the savings from a gas tax suspension are passed directly to consumers at the pump and not absorbed into their profit margins,” they continued.

“We stand ready to support additional measures as needed, but this is relief that can be delivered right now. We urge you to do so,” Senators Looney and Duff concluded.

The full letter is below.

Dear Governor Lamont:

We write in response to your recent comments regarding a potential gas tax holiday to provide relief to Connecticut families facing rising fuel costs due to President Trump’s ongoing war in the Middle East.

While President Trump’s reckless decisions continue to betray American consumers and drive up costs for Connecticut families, they validate our decision to equip you with emergency authority and resources specifically to mitigate Republican failures, and we urge you to use those tools now to deliver relief at the pump.

As you know, the General Assembly extended your emergency authority to access a contingency fund containing hundreds of millions of dollars specifically to respond to disruption and chaos stemming from Republican mismanagement of the federal government. That emergency authority remains in effect, and the fund was created precisely for situations like this: when federal actions create hardship for Connecticut families. In short, legislative action is not required to provide this relief.

We support immediate action to help Connecticut residents manage higher gas prices, and we urge you to implement a one-month holiday on the 25-cent-per-gallon excise tax on gasoline without delay, using this fund.

This action would provide relief while we continue working on longer-term affordability policies through our legislative agenda. We encourage you to work with fuel retailers to ensure that the savings from a gas tax suspension are passed directly to consumers at the pump and not absorbed into their profit margins.

We stand ready to support additional measures as needed, but this is relief that can be delivered right now. We urge you to do so.

Senate President Martin Looney and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193