Peckinpaugh Opposes Malloy Tax Plan

Janet Peckinpaugh, Republican candidate for state representative for the 36th House District (Chester, Deep River, Essex, Haddam) said she would vote against the historic tax increase offered by Gov. Dan Malloy, which would raise state income taxes, sales tax and end many tax exemptions for the boating industry, if approved.

“The Malloy tax plan is a disaster for our towns and our state,” Peckinpaugh said. “While we haven’t been given many specifics on spending cuts, we clearly see that Hartford Democrats default to what they know best — raise taxes on the people who are already tapped out.”

The Malloy plan to raise marginal tax rates up to 6.75 percent on incomes will inhibit investment and slow down an already weak economy. But the Connecticut River Valley would particularly suffer from Malloy’s proposal to end some of the tax exemptions on the boating industry, a local industry that provides jobs and revenue and sustains many small businesses.

“Our boating industry has managed to stay competitive with neighboring states because of these exemptions,” Peckinpaugh said. “This short-sighted plan may sink the industry just like federal tax increases damaged shipyards in 1991.”

Peckinpaugh also reiterated her opposition to allowing cities and towns to generate more tax revenues through special taxes assessed at the local level.

“The last thing we need to do is allow more politicians the power to tax anything that moves,” Peckinpaugh said. “We need to have spending cuts that get to the heart of our deficit and not simply pawn off the problem through higher taxes. How much do the people in Hartford think we have to give for their fiscal mismanagement?”