House Republican Press Release

May 24, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. FREY CONDEMNS DEMOCRATS FOR BLOCKING GAS TAX CUT

“Republicans Vow to Fight on to Provide Relief from Record Setting Gas Prices”

HARTFORD – HARTFORD – State Rep. John Frey (R-Ridgefield) joined fellow House Republicans in submitting two amendments which would have permitted a Gas Tax Holiday from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

“When the Democrats had the chance to finally do something for taxpayers and anyone who drives in Connecticut they said ‘No.’ They are now on record as saying they don’t care about lowering the price of gasoline, even if its just for three months,’’ Rep. John Frey, House Republican Whip said following the vote.

As promised, House Republicans presented an amendment to impose a three-month Gas Tax Holiday for the peak summer driving season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 25 cents per gallon that the state charges would be rolled back to zero and save motorists a total of $120 million for the Holiday. Republicans proposed the plan May 14 and said it could easily be paid for out of the newly discovered $846 million budget surplus.

After calling the amendment, the Democratic “supermajority” immediately took the legislation off the floor of the House thereby preventing debate and sparing Democrats from casting a vote that will come back to haunt them.

Democrats later ruled a second amendment not ‘germane’ to the underlying bill and sustained the ruling of the Democratic chair in a party line vote 46-102.    

Rep. Frey said, “The majority party wishes to tax and spend Connecticut in to oblivion and not recognize Ridgefielders’ need some sort of relief, especially with an almost $1 billion state surplus.”

No transportation programs would be affected and the lost revenue that is used to back highway construction bonds would simply be replaced by the surplus money. Governor M. Jodi Rell also supported the idea. She has repeatedly said that if the legislature does not go along, she and her fellow Republicans will use gas tax proposal in the budget negotiations that have just begun.

“The immediate relief sought by this gas tax cut has temporarily thwarted the will of the people by denying them a much-needed break at the pumps. I’m still optimistic that we can move this forward if there is public pressure applied from commuters around the state,’’ Frey said