"Our residents end up paying for their free ride through Connecticut by paying an overly high gas tax."
Brendan Sharkey
Themis Klarides questioned whether the state can have much impact on the cost of gas.
Governor Dannel Malloy has proposed major improvements to Connecticut's transportation infrastructure.
In the past, Malloy argued that the state gas tax could cover such costs, but the rise in fuel-efficient cars has meant a decline in revenue. How to fund transportation projects remains a question.
Speaking on WNPR's Where We Live, Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey said the gas tax is unfair to Connecticut residents.
Sharkey pointed to the unfortunate necessity of tolls in order to fund state projects. He also advocated a corresponding decrease in the Connecticut gas tax to alleviate economic pressure on taxpayers.
"We let everyone from out of state drive through our state, and get a free ride," Sharkey said. "Our residents end up paying for their free ride through Connecticut by paying an overly high gas tax."
Republican House Minority Leader Themis Klarides has doubts over the proposal of tolls despite the promise of a reduction in the gas tax.
"I'm not a big fan of tolls," Klarides said. "I'm certainly open to hearing the pros and cons in a public hearing and in conversations with leaders."
Klarides said that since the gas tax is composed of three parts -- federal tax, state tax, and gross receipts -- the Connecticut legislature's ability to control it is limited.
"We have lowered the gas tax many times," she said. "Then, next thing you know, it’s popping up again in ways that we have no control over. So that’s just a very slippery slope that we face."
In March of 2013, apoll conducted by Quinnipiac University showed that 53 percent of Connecticut voters supported tolls if they resulted in a decrease of the state gas tax.
Malloy will present his budget proposal for the state on February 18.
Mallory ODonoghue is an intern at WNPR. Tucker Ives contributed to this post.
