Frey Calls for Special Session to Eliminate Grocery Tax

House and Senate Republicans are calling on Governor Lamont to bring the legislature into special session to fix a piece of legislation passed in the Democrat state budget that created new taxes on hundreds of grocery store foods, and also substantially increased taxes on prepared meals.

These new and increased taxes will negatively and disproportionately impact senior citizens and others on a fixed income, the underemployed and the middle class.

The House of Representatives needs 76 members to sign a petition to force a special session and the State Senate would need 19 petition signatures.  I proudly signed the petition.

Recently, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) released an advisory statement clarifying the long list of restaurant meals and food items the Democrat-approved 7.35% tax will be applied to, including dozens of products that have not previously been taxed. DRS also clarified that the total 7.35% tax rate will be effective in grocery stores, “which previously taxed meals in a different manner than other eating establishments.”

According to DRS, in addition to many beverages, examples of “Meals” that will be taxed at 7.35% in eating establishments and grocery stores includes, but is not limited to, sandwiches, grinders, and wraps; popsicles, ice cream cones; salads sold at salad bars; macaroni and potato salads; donuts, muffins, rolls, bagels, pastries and cookies; pies or cakes by the slice; chips, popcorn, kettle corn, nuts, trail mix, crackers, snack cakes, or other snack foods; pizza, whole or by the slice; cooked chicken sold by the piece, buckets of chicken and whole cooked chickens; hot dogs served on a bun or heated; all beverages provided with the sale of a taxable meal; hot buffet foods; cooked to order food; any other snack foods kept warm for purchase, and more.

.The taxes are set to take effect on October 1, 2019.

I am firmly against these regressive taxes and stand in strong support of having a special session to fix this issue before it burdens families across our state, and I urge the public to call their legislators and the governor to express their opinion.