Финансовые риски штата Коннектикут: зависимость от федеральных средств и угроза роста налогов

Connecticut has a range of taxes, including income tax, sales tax, use tax, property taxes, gas tax, alcohol tax, estate tax, corporate tax, real-estate transfer tax, energy tax, internet tax, cell phone tax, cable tv tax, registration fees, and others. Connecticut’s income tax was passed into law by then Gov. Lowell Weicker in 1991. It was a flat tax of 4.5 %. Today the income tax ranges from 2 to 6.99%. Its original sales and use tax were 3% enacted in 1947. Sales and use taxes are 6.35% today. Connecticut restaurant sales tax is 7.35%. Connecticut ranks in the top 10 states in overall taxation. Out of the 50 states Income tax 10th highest, sales tax 30th, property tax 3rd highest, gas tax 31st.Connecticut’s electricity costs are the 5th highest in the country, despite Millstone nuclear power plant providing half of the state’s power use. Connecticut is 8th highest in median income. Its unfunded pension liabilities at $42 billion rank 4th highest in the country. Some 50,000 retired teachers and 45,000 government employees receive pension benefits. According to the Visual Capitalist, Connecticut ranks 25th in states dependent on the federal government. Connecticut receives about $6.2 billion in Medicaid payments from the federal government. 1,086,000 children and adults are enrolled in Connecticut Medicaid. The federal government provides about 63% of Medicaid payments to the 50 States. Connecticut receives nearly $1 billion in SNAP benefits from the federal government. Connecticut has received approximately $8.3 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, funding around 547 infrastructure projects across the state. Connecticut’s 2026 budget is approximately $26 billion up from $25.3 billion in 2025. Major increases came from education and Medicaid. In 2026, the federal government is providing approximately $2.1 billion in educational funding to Connecticut. Connecticut has about $26 billion in traditional bonded state debts. The federal government’s debt currently is $39,700,000,000. June’s interest alone was $185 billion. Interest alone in June was $257 million per hour. The interest on the debt will be about $1,400,000,000 this fiscal year. The average interest rate on its debt is 3.6 %. Historically that is not a high interest rate. Most of the government borrowings recently have been very short term. That means any rise in interest rates will add to the government’s ballooning debt. The increase in the government’s debt this fiscal year could exceed $2.4 trillion . What does this all mean for Connecticut. It means a lot because the state of Connecticut and its towns are dependent on the federal government for revenues. The federal government will be forced to cut expenses considering its dire financial outlook. That will ultimately lead to Connecticut raising taxes on its constituents. Steve Quish is an author and lifelong resident of Connecticut. He is the author of “America’s Race to Default.”