Sec. 12-34d. State Tax Review Commission reports.

      Sec. 12-34d. State Tax Review Commission reports. (a) There is established a State Tax Review Commission which shall study and evaluate (1) state and local tax revenue and the tax base for such revenue, with particular emphasis on wide-ranging reviews of such system, its incidence upon the populace and its effect upon economic activity within the state, (2) property tax treatment of persons, firms or corporations engaged in the business of renting or leasing motor vehicles without a driver, (3) the succession tax system, including the net revenue impact of the repeal of the succession tax system and adoption of a "sponge tax" system, (4) a reduced rate of tax on the sale, furnishing or distribution of gas for use directly by a company engaged in a manufacturing production process and (5) property tax treatment of commercial vehicles that transport freight in the state, including a comparison of said tax treatment with the property tax treatment of such vehicles in other states and the impact of said tax treatment on industry in the state.

      (b) The commission shall consist of fifteen members. The cochairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters related to finance, revenue and bonding and the Commissioner of Revenue Services shall serve ex officio. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the Council of Small Towns shall each appoint a representative to serve as a member who shall be appointed as a member by the Governor. The Governor shall also appoint one representative of the executive branch as a member and one representative of the public as a member. The remaining members shall be appointed as follows: One member by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one member by the majority leader of the Senate, one member by the minority leader of the Senate, one member by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one member by the minority leader of the House of Representatives and one member by the majority leader of the House of Representatives and shall be appointed by such legislative leaders so as to provide a minimum of one representative for each of the labor, business and academic communities. Such appointments shall be made within a period not exceeding ninety days following August 22, 1991. Members appointed by the Governor and the members of the General Assembly shall serve for a term of three years and shall serve no more than two terms. The members of the task force may be members of the General Assembly. The chairpersons of the joint standing committee on finance, revenue and bonding shall convene the first meeting of the task force. The commission shall elect such officers as it deems necessary.

      (c) The commission shall submit an initial report, which shall detail a study of the totality of the revenue system, which shall, if the commission determines it to be appropriate, recommend a complete revision of such system or a revision of such system to eliminate any direct taxes on income, and which shall include its findings and recommendations, to the Governor and to the General Assembly not later than December 15, 1992, and shall submit further reports, which shall include its findings and recommendations, to the Governor and to the General Assembly not later than December 15, 1993, and annually thereafter.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 154, 168; P.A. 93-74, S. 53, 67.)

      History: P.A. 93-74 added Subdivs. (2) to (5), inclusive, in Subsec. (a) re study of property tax treatment of persons renting or leasing motor vehicles without a driver, the succession tax system, the rate of tax on utilities selling, furnishing or distributing gas for manufacturers, and the property tax treatment of commercial vehicles that transport freight in the state, and amended Subsec. (c) to continue commission's existence beyond initial report date of December 15, 1992, by requiring subsequent annual reports, effective May 19, 1993.