Rell Says She Supports Special Session For Energy Issues

HARTFORD (AP) — Republican Govenor M. Jodi Rell said Monday that she supports the Democrat-controlled legislature convening a special session to tackle rising energy prices.

Rell is backing a plan to eliminate so-called zone pricing for gasoline in Connecticut for at least two years. She also wants to roll back the state’s gross receipts tax on gas and other petroleum products and provide incentives to encourage ethanol production in the state.

“There are some steps we can take at the state level to try to ease the burden and I am working to develop realistic proposals that we can implement quickly,” said Rell, adding how she is frustrated by the lack of progress toward a national energy policy.

Rell said she’ll present a package of initiatives within two weeks.

Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said lawmakers plan to hold a fact-finding hearing this week to help develop options the state can take during a possible special session. The legislature held two energy forums in recent months.

While he welcomes Rell’s package of proposals, he said he has problems with some of her ideas already.

For example, he said Rell’s proposed cut in the gross receipts tax would not guarantee lower prices at the gas pump, but would likely help the oil companies financially. Williams said it would also cut into revenues needed for mass transit and other state transportation initiatives.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Malloy, the mayor of Stamford, recently unveiled his plan for energy reform in Connecticut that includes investment in alternative energy sources such as fuel cells, more conservation plans and electric generation projects. He accused Rell of not providing leadership on the issue during her years as governor and lieutenant governor.

“It’s entirely in character that after hearing of my initiative, the governor would only now announce her intent to address this issue ... in two weeks?!” Malloy said in a written statement. “She’s had 12 years to think about energy.”