House Republican Press Release

April 3, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. ROWE: STATE RESIDENTS STILL AMONG THE MOST HEAVILY TAXED IN NATION

Connecticut’s Tax Freedom Day Last In Nation

HARTFORD – State Rep. T.R. Rowe, R-Trumbull, today said that while residents of some states begin to see “Tax Freedom Day” in early April, Connecticut citizens will wait until May 20 to reach their own tax freedom day. The term refers to the number of days the average resident will have worked to pay his/her total tax bill. The first day following that time period is called “Tax Freedom Day.”

According to the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that has monitored tax policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937, Alaska reaches tax freedom day earliest (April 13), while Connecticut is the last state in nation to see Tax Freedom Day, on May 20.

“Connecticut’s tax freedom day gets later every year, which means the average resident’s tax burden grows year by year by year,” said Rep. Rowe. “This trend will continue as long as there is a tax and spend philosophy so prevalent in Hartford.”

In his first campaign for the Legislature in 1998, Rep. Rowe signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in which he promised to oppose tax increases as a legislator. Now in his ninth year representing Trumbull in the General Assembly, he as remained true to that pledge.

In announcing various states’ tax freedom day, the Tax Foundation noted Americans work a significant number of days each year to pay for things other than government, but nothing else is so expensive. On average, Americans will work longer to pay for government (120 days) than they will for food, clothing and housing combined (105 days). Since 1986 taxes have cost more than these basic necessities. In fact, Americans will work longer to afford federal taxes alone (79 days) than they will to afford housing (62 days).