Dan Drew Would Double-Down On Malloy’s Failed Policies In Connecticut

With a less crowded Democrat primary to pose a challenge after incumbent Dan Malloy and State Senator Ted Kennedy Jr. both passed on running, Dan Drew announced his candidacy for Connecticut governor today. But Drew will still be saddled with having to run on nearly eight years of job-killing tax hikes, routine credit downgrades, and high-profile business departures under his Democrat allies’ leadership. While Drew may try to distance himself from the state’s fiscal mess, as Kevin Lembo and other Democrat candidates have attempted, he can’t hide his own record of pushing Malloy-style tax increases at the municipal level

As mayor of Middletown since 2011, Drew has consistently called for tax hikes on residents, pushing the city council to approve budgets containing heavy tax increases on them each year. While Malloy and his Democrat enablers have enacted endless tax increases on Connecticut citizens, Drew has been running the exact same playbook in Middletown. If elected governor, he would double-down on the same catastrophic policies that have made Connecticut less business-friendly, less livable, and less competitive economically.

BACKGROUND:

In March 2013, Drew proposed raising municipal taxes by 3.3 percent. Ultimately, the Middletown city council approved a budget that raised taxes by 2.9 percent. “Middletown Council’s Approved $135.9M Budget Sees 2.9% Tax Increase… On March 29, Mayor Dan Drew put forth a $137.85 proposed budget, which would have seen taxes increase 3.3 percent. This amended spending package pushes up the mill rate eight-tenths of a percent — from 26.9 to 27.7. A mill equals $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property values.” (Cassandra Day, “Middletown Council’s approved $135.9M budget sees 2.9% tax increase,” Middletown Patch, May 16, 2013)

In May of 2016, Middletown’s city council approved a mill rate increase of 0.7, to 33.3. “The city’s mill rate will be set at 33.3 — an increase of 0.7, Majority Leader Thomas Serra said. The increase in taxes would equal an additional $70 for a property valued at $100,000, $140 for a home assessed at $200,000 and $210 for a residence worth $300,000, Serra said.” (Sam Beals, “Middletown approves $152.8 million budget,” The Middletown Press, May 15, 2016)

In May of 2017, Middletown’s city council approved a budget that increased taxes by 1.8 percent. “The common council adopted a 2017-18 budget Monday night that increases taxes by 1.8 percent and sets overall spending at $157.79 million.” (Shawn R. Beals, “Middletown council: Major cuts avoided for now but tough times ahead,” The Hartford Courant, May 15, 2017)