Connecticut Commissioner of Revenue Services Mark D. Boughton announced that his office has approved a 49.2-cent per gallon hike in the cost of diesel fuel, an increase of roughly 23%.
In a letter to state lawmakers, Boughton cited that state required his office to “to calculate the applicable tax rate per gallon of diesel fuel for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022. In accordance with this statutory obligation, I am hereby notifying you that, effective July 1, 2022, the tax rate on diesel fuel will be 49.2 cents per gallon. As you are aware, this rate will remain in effect until June 30, 2023.”
The current diesel fuel tax is 40.1 cents. According to AAA, the state average price of a gallon of diesel is $6.16 ”“ and while that level is down from the $6.40 average recorded one month ago, it is significantly more than the $3.25 average from one year earlier.
Gov. Ned Lamont did not issue a public statement on the diesel fuel tax hike. In an upcoming interview with the Business Journals, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski called for the suspension of the diesel fuel tax as a means of helping residents cope with the historically high inflation that has burdened the economy.
“I really think we should be getting some immediate relief in taxes on gas given where the prices are,” Stefanowski said.
