News from State Senator Paul Doyle

April 2012

Capitol address
Legislative Office Building
Room 3500
Hartford, CT 06106-1591

On the Web
www.SenatorDoyle.cga.ct.gov

Phone
Capitol: 860-240-0475
Toll-free: 1-800-842-1420

Promoting “Connecticut Made” Products

I believe one surefire way to boost the economy is to support local businesses and help them expand. That’s why I am pushing for legislation that would create a “Connecticut Made” marketing campaign to promote homegrown businesses that produce or sell products made right here in Connecticut.

In March, I visited Max Baldwin at his business, Baldwin Lawn Furniture in Middletown, to highlight how a “Connecticut Made” marketing campaign could help him sell more of his wooden furniture. I was so impressed with Max’s shop and showroom; his business is the perfect example of one that would benefit from a campaign promoting locally made items.

The proposed legislation, part of Senate Bill 1—the Jobs Bill, calls for the creation of a “Connecticut Made” logo for use in advertising and for placement in store fronts and at fairs and markets. Businesses that join the program would be allowed to use the logo for products and would be included in state-coordinated marketing campaigns, including an official “Connecticut Made” website.

Owners would be eligible to receive marketing and business advice from the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Small Business Office.

Bringing Relief at the Pump

As gas prices continue to climb, we must do all we can help consumers find relief at the pump. Last month, I joined my colleagues in the Senate in passing a comprehensive plan that caps the gross receipts tax at $3 a gallon wholesale.

More importantly, our plan strengthens protections against price gouging, cracks down on oil profiteering, and requires that savings from the cap on the gross receipts tax get passed along to consumer.

The bill that I brought out on the Senate floor, and which passed unanimously, will bring modest relief for consumers. I now urge our federal delegation to take action to crack down on oil speculation and market manipulation on Wall Street to bring down gas prices even further.

The Democrats’ proposal:

Legislatively declares a 30-day period of petroleum market scrutiny by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Consumer Protection in anticipation of further wholesale price spikes.
Amends the petroleum profiteering statute to provide for investigations of price gouging whenever the wholesale price rises by 15 percent or more within 90 days (the wholesale price has increased 40 cents—more than 15 percent—in the past ninety days).
Grants the commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection authority to impose Unfair Trade Practice fines on large gasoline wholesalers and distributors who are in violation of profiteering laws.
Puts a permanent circuit breaker on the gross receipts tax on motor fuels at $3.00/per gallon wholesale.
Prohibits oil wholesalers and distributors (those who pay the gross receipts tax) from passing on anything purporting to be based on the tax for the portion of any sales price over $3.00 per gallon.
Institutes similar profiteering protections in regards to home heating oil.

Allowing Sunday Alcohol Sales

Connecticut is one of only two states in the nation that does not currently allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays. As Senate chairman of the General Law Committee, I led passage of a bipartisan compromise bill that will finally change that law.

Sunday Sales The bill, which now goes for a vote in the House and Senate, would permit the sale of alcohol on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., which enables stores in Connecticut to open earlier than in Massachusetts.

It also increases the number of stores a package store owner can own from two to three, and allows store owners to choose one item a month to sell at a 10-percent discount.

Importantly, the bill establishes a task force to further study liquor reform proposals that raised questions that were unable to be fully researched in the short session.

Connecticut’s liquor laws have been a highly controversial subject for many years, and I am happy to see this bill move forward. I think it strikes a balance between upholding consumer rights and protecting the livelihood of mom and pop package store owners throughout our state.