Editor’s note: Nick Kapoor is a Democrat running for the 112th District seat covering Monroe and Newtown. Candidates Tony Scott, a Republican, and William “Bill” Furrier, an Independent, are also welcome to submit OpEds on state issues.
Benjamin Franklin famously said: “Nothing is certain except death and taxes” – a pairing that pretty dramatically demonstrates how much we all dread paying taxes.
The amount that each person pays to their town, the state, and the federal government has always been a flashpoint for heated arguments. Here in Connecticut, we pay several different taxes, sometimes daily (i.e. gas tax, sales tax), and sometimes less often (i.e. personal property tax, business taxes, and income taxes). But, however unwelcome, these taxes may be, they are “the price we pay for civilized society” (as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes so wisely noted).
While Holmes was undeniably right, the taxes levied on us must always be as fair and as low as possible – without sacrificing critical services.
The “mansion tax” proposed by Democrats is a really bad idea. It would place an additional statewide property tax on all homes assessed over $300,000. In many parts of the state, a home assessed at $300,000 is nowhere near what anyone would think of as a “mansion.” The homeowners of Connecticut cannot be burdened with this obviously unfair new tax.
As a member of the Town Council and the Board of Education I consistently advocated that the people of Monroe should have the final say in our town’s budget through the referendum process. And, as a member of the legislature, I will continue to defend our citizens against any unfair new tax – maintaining my proven record of thinking for myself and of not simply voting in mindless lock-step with political party policies.
It’s unfortunate that my opponent and the local Republican Party are running a typically negative, them-versus-us, campaign. That may be who they are, but it is not who I am. Nor is it the kind of representative I will be once I get to Hartford. My campaign is about the issues and my vision for the future of our district and our state.
We need people in Hartford who are willing to seriously work across the aisle and – when needed – to stand up to their party to ensure that the right things get done for Newtown and Monroe. I’ve done it for the past ten years in Monroe and you can count on me to continue to do that in the legislature as your state representative.
Please reach out to me with any questions you may have (203.521.4734 or [email protected]) or visit my website at www.nickforct.com.
