House Republican Press Release

 

 

 

January 30, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

 

Reps D’Amelio, Noujaim Urge Support for House GOP Middle Class Tax Credits

 

Tax Credits would benefit Middle Income Taxpayers Squeezed by High Home Heating, Health Care Costs

 

Most middle class individuals and families squeezed by skyrocketing health care and home heating expenses would get a significant reduction in their state income tax liability if tax credits proposed today by House Republicans become law, said state Representatives Anthony J. D’Amelio and Selim Noujaim.

The House Republican proposals were unveiled at a news conference today at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

“If the economic downturn many are predicting hits our state within the next few months, the tax credits we proposed today will come as welcome relief to middle class taxpayers in Waterbury, Middlebury and elsewhere in Connecticut who already are struggling to cope with the increasingly high costs of health care and heating their homes,” said Representative D’Amelio, R-71st District, who participated in the news conference.

“The tax credits we developed were offered in good faith as a way to help relieve two of the most burdensome expenses shouldered by middle income taxpayers in Connecticut. They are similar in spirit to proposals presented by the Senate Democratic caucus earlier this week, some of which our caucus has supported for years,” said Representative Noujaim, R-74th District.

“It is our hope that Republican and Democratic legislators can agree on a non-partisan package for middle class and business tax relief consisting of the best proposals developed by all four caucuses and pass them as soon as possible,” the legislators said.

For the short term, Republicans outlined a specific timetable of public hearings and various committee reviews that could produce a bipartisan, comprehensive relief package by March 19. Republicans proposed using roughly $200 million of the state’s $263 million surplus to: