Gas prices and taxes...

This past Sunday, in my column that runs in the Norwich Bulletin, I opined on the problem of rising gasoline prices and how lawmakers don't appear to be very anxious in trying to help out. I particularly noted the Republican proposal in Hartford to temporarily suspend the state's 25-cents per gallon tax from Memorial Day through Labor Day - and asked why not?

I'm not going to try and take credit for anything, but late Tuesday night the Democratic Senate majority voted in favor of an amendment that would do just that. Democratic leaders at first dismissed the Republican idea, and now it appears they are having second thoughts.

But don't too excited yet because there may also be a bit of game being played. The amendment was tacked on to a "Lemon Law" proposal that still needs one more committee's approval before it can proceed along the legislative process. And there is some thought that the leadership specifically picked that bill to attachment the amendment to because it offered the best opportunity for the whole idea to die a quiet death.

In other words, if that were to happen, the Dems get the opportunity to say they voted in favor of it...but don't have to worry about it every happening.