Republican Second District challenger Dan Carter recently reacted to a campaign mailer sent to residents of the 2nd Assembly District by his opponent and incumbent State Rep Raghib Allie-Brennan. The mailer, according to Carter, arrived at doors on or about October 5, and stated that Allie-Brennan had supported a “balanced budget that lowered taxes.”

Carter, however, contends that Allie-Brennan’s budget actually raised taxes.

“Frankly, I was stunned when I read Allie-Brennan’s claim that he lowered taxes with the budget last year,” said Carter in a statement. “I have never had an opponent that blatantly misrepresented their record like this. Last year’s budget raised taxes on families and businesses by $1.75 billion.

“There is no way around that fact and it’s been widely reported in the news,” the GOP challenger contended.

Carter cited numerous news articles including a CT Mirror item from June 26, 2019 that reported on details in the budget. Making reference to Allie-Brennan’s major campaign promise to eliminate the $250 bi-annual business entity tax, Carter said the subsequently eliminated tax was simply replaced with other fees and tax changes.

“Allie-Brennan can’t be referring to his promise to help businesses by eliminating the business entity tax, because he raised taxes and fees by three times that amount on those same businesses,” said Carter. “This can’t be chalked up to inexperience, so it must be a direct effort to hide the fact families are paying more because of him. He should apologize and publish a retraction to the statement in the mailer.”

Carter also cited a few of the tax changes he said Allie-Brennan supported “that amount to higher taxes for struggling families.”

They included increasing the tax on digital downloads from one percent to 6.35 percent; a new one percent surcharge on prepared foods tax on restaurant meals and prepared grocery meals — on top of the 6.35 percent sales tax already charged on prepared meals; and new taxes on parking, dry cleaning and laundry services, interior design services; a plastic bag tax; vehicle trade-in fees, and numerous others.

“To recover from COVID-19, rebuild our economy, and make Connecticut affordable, we must have transparency from elected officials,” said Carter. “I have never and would never misrepresent or hide my record from the people I represent.”

Rep Allie-Brennan responded to the release stating Carter’s outrage was both “disingenuous and audacious.”

“His blatant misrepresentation of my record and his, along with his willingness to spin the work I’ve done over the past two years into divisive tropes focusing on inspiring irrational fear in our neighbors, do a disservice to the people of the 2nd District,” the incumbent said. “To paraphrase Dr Maya Angelou, Dan Carter has shown us who he is... hyper-partisan, dishonest, and divisive... we should believe him.”

Allie-Brennan said he proudly stands by his record and pointed out a few highlights including:

*Easing the tax burden on seniors by supporting increasing income thresholds for the deduction of Social Security income and phased out the pension and annuity tax.

*Supporting the Business Entity Tax repeal.

*Successfully rejecting efforts to increase income tax rates.

*Phasing out of the capital stock tax.

Allie-Brennan said he also successfully opposed tolls, “forcing proponents to find a better solution for our transportation needs rather than putting their hands into the pockets of our working families.”

He also backed increasing Connecticut’s rainy day fund, “putting us in a better place and on stronger footing during the pandemic.

“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle did not introduce a budget proposal last year,” Allie-Brennan said. “They showed they have no interest in leading the state, just throwing pot shots. And Mr Carter is doing the same.

“I encourage Mr. Carter to focus on truthfully sharing his views with the people of the 2nd District, who he abandoned four years ago for a failed bid for higher office,” the lawmaker added.