Connecticut Legislature Wants to Add to the Gas Tax without Voting On it
The Working Poor are already paying too much in gas taxes
March 24, 2023
Just as Congress allowed Treasurer Secretary to bailout Silicon Valley Bank without legislative approval, the Connecticut legislature is now about to impose a regressive tax on the working poor and middle class via bureaucratic fiat. The legislation proposed states:
The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to reduce indirect and direct emissions in order to achieve the greenhouse gas emission levels specified in subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section. Such regulations may include, but shall not be limited to, implementation of the policies, strategies, and any other actions identified in any report prepared pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, market-based compliance mechanisms developed independently or with interested states and Canadian provinces, or the recommended regulatory actions identified pursuant to subsection (a) of section 22a-200b of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
If you have difficulty following this, don’t be embarrassed. I had to read it out loud five times before I understood. But here are the most salient factors:
The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection is Ms. Katie Dykes who rakes around 200 grand a year - courtesy of the Connecticut taxpayer - not including Cadillac health benefits and fat pensions contributions.
“… market-based compliance mechanisms” is bureaucratic jargon for increased gas taxes.
Thus, if the legislation passes, Ms. Dykes will raise the gas tax via bureaucratic fiat. How will this be done? By implementing a program called cap-and-trade, which is effectively a carbon tax.
Wholesale venders of fossil fuels will be required to purchase carbon allowances that allows them to sell fuels that emit CO2. For example, a gasoline wholesaler would have to buy these allowances at auctions, competing against utilities and manufacturers who also have to buy them. Those who lose will not be allowed to sell. The problem is that auction prices increase every year since the number of allowances is decreased every year, thus raising the price of gas. Since the wholesaler will not sell this higher-priced gas at a discount out of the goodness of his heart, the people of Connecticut will see higher gas prices while the legislature washes its hands.
This is what happened in California. At their most recent auction, the carbon tax added 25 cents/gallon to the already highest price of gas in the country. If Katie Dykes adopts California’s scheme, we could be paying up to 72 cents/gallon for gasoline, costing consumers an additional $475 a year. Heating oil could spike up to 83 cents a gallon more, costing the average household $663 a year! But at least California legislators voted to legalize it. When the climate change lobby tried to pass this in 2019 (readers will remember my column on TCI which first exposed this scheme), an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature heaved it into the circular file where it belonged.
The people of Connecticut are already paying too much in energy costs because the climate change agenda has forced energy companies such as United Illuminating to purchase power from the inefficient solar panel and wind turbine grids. When these modalities fail to produce enough power on short notice, such as during a heat wave or a cold spell, Connecticut must overpay for fossil fuel power quickly at higher prices.
Unfortunately, the the bill has passed out of committee and heads to the full General Assembly for a vote. This legislation must be stopped now.
What is the name/number of the bill?
Let's instead pay for her retirement.
Here is another angle on the Silicon Valley Bank--pls watch--very enlightening:
https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2023/03/sarah-westall-mike-gill-shadow-banking-whistleblower-pandora-papers-new-hampshire-drug-cartel-tell-congress-to-release-their-names-3-17-2023-video-2-pandora-papers-documentary-3790156.html