Issue Position: Property Tax Reform

Issue Position

Connecticut's reliance on the property tax has crippled our economy and has stifled growth for decades. Because our towns and cities throughout the state rely on the property tax to fund schools and provide police, fire, and public work services, any significant decline in revenues due to property deprecation can cause havoc on municipal operations and in most cases, forces municipalities to reduce critical services. As a result, Connecticut must provide meaningful tax relief to homeowners and our small businesses. and begin rewarding individuals in the form of tax relief -- to individuals and homeowners who have made investments in the community. In New London, no developer or homeowner looking to improve their property should be penalized for expanding the supply of homes to meet the demand for individuals looking to invest in the city. A hefty tax is levied on the properties in that city because of it's high mill rate, which disincentives property owners to improve their property. Taxes on labor, capital, or improvements are regressive, so Connecticut should allow municipalities (especially urban, dense cities) to ability to shift taxation onto land values instead of property values, in order to spur significant development and restore a pulse to our cities.

I am a strong proponent of a comprehensive solution to our over reliance on the property tax to fund municipal services and our education system.

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