CROMWELL, Conn. -- Gene Guilford, executive director and CEO of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association (ICPA), is making a plea to state legislators to pass two pending bills that he said would help lower gasoline prices in the state.
Connecticut's average [gasoline price] is in line with every other state around us in this region, he wrote in a note to CSP Daily News yesterday, except for the fact that the combined state excise and gross-earnings taxes imposed by Connecticut are higher than every other state in this region.
According to Guilford, gasoline retailers in Connecticut are earning an average whopping 5.2 cents per gallon average, while the state collects 39.3 cents and the feds 18.4 cents, and the credit-card companies collect 5.6 cents per gallon.
Guilford said this legislature has opportunities to reduce prices by passing House Bill 7101, an act prohibiting gasoline companies from banning cash discounts, and State Bill 1137, an act concerning price gouging.
House Bill 7101, which would allow gasoline retailers to offer customers cash discounts, most recently was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. Senate Bill, which was written to protect consumers in the event of an energy resource market disruption emergency, is awaiting review by the full Senate.
Both bills have gained support from the General Assembly's Joint Committee on General Law.
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