Republicans Vow To Stop Release Of Tax Records

HARTFORD (AP) — Republican state lawmakers want the attorney general to recall his legal opinion allowing a legislative committee and its outside consultant to have access to individual and corporate tax returns for a study of Connecticut’s tax system.

The lawmakers said they want time to draft legislation that makes it clear the privacy of citizens’ tax information is protected under state law.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has said he is also concerned state law allows such information to be given to the Program Review and Investigations Committee or any state agency. Blumenthal, Govenor M. Jodi Rell, and Republican legislators said they fear the release of the tax data could lead to confidentiality breaches.

Blumenthal has said more discussion is needed before the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) releases the records to the committee.

Senator Catherine Cook, R-Mystic, the committee’s co-chairman, opposes granting the committee access to the tax records. She said DRS has already provided lawmakers with nonidentifying tax information it needs to complete the tax study.

But Representative Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, the committee’s other co-chairman, said DRS has not turned over what is needed to conduct a thorough investigation. He said the panel has no interest in looking up specific tax returns and said lawmakers, the attorney general, and the tax department should meet and reach a compromise.

The Program Review and Investigations Committee is atypical, made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. It is co-chaired by a Democrat and Republican as well.

The committee is examining the fairness of Connecticut’s tax system and what improvements could be made.