Cost of Living & Taxes
Making Connecticut affordable to live, work, and retire.
Connecticut is one of the most expensive states in the nation — not because of geography or climate, but because of policy choices made in Hartford over decades.
High taxes, rising utility costs, excessive regulation, and unfunded mandates have made it harder for families to stay, harder for small businesses to survive, and nearly impossible for many residents to retire here.
The Libertarian Party of Connecticut believes affordability starts with government restraint, transparency, and respect for taxpayers.
The Problem
Connecticut residents face:
- Some of the highest state and local tax burdens in the country
- High and unpredictable property taxes
- Among the highest electricity costs in the continental United States
- Slow economic growth and out-migration of residents and businesses
- Housing shortages driven by restrictive zoning and regulatory barriers in cities
These costs do not fall evenly. Seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and small business owners are hit the hardest.
Tax Relief & Fiscal Discipline
Taxes should be low, predictable, and limited to funding essential government functions. Connecticut’s reliance on constant tax increases and short-term fixes has created long-term instability.
We support:
- Opposing new taxes and fees at the state and local level
- Reducing income, property, and business tax burdens over time
- Ending unfunded mandates imposed on cities and towns
- Requiring honest, transparent budgeting — not gimmicks or borrowed money
Tax relief must go hand-in-hand with spending restraint. Families are forced to live within their means — the government should do the same.
Energy Costs & Utility Accountability
Electricity rates in Connecticut are among the highest in the nation, placing a heavy burden on households and employers alike.
Years of regulatory capture, lack of competition, and opaque oversight have contributed to rising costs with little accountability.
The Libertarian Party of Connecticut supports:
- Opening energy markets to real competition
- Ending utility monopolies protected by state policy
- Requiring transparent rate-setting and regulatory processes
- Protecting consumers from politically driven energy mandates that raise costs
Affordable energy is essential to economic growth and quality of life — not a luxury.
Housing Affordability & Property Taxes
Connecticut faces a growing housing shortage, driven largely by restrictive zoning laws, lengthy permitting processes, and state-level interference in local planning.
At the same time, high property taxes make homeownership increasingly out of reach.
We support:
- Reforming zoning and land-use rules to allow more housing options where housing is needed
- Respecting local decision-making while removing unnecessary state barriers
- Reducing the property tax burden by cutting state spending and mandates
- Allowing innovation in housing — including multi-family and mixed-use development by local decision
Affordable housing cannot be achieved through mandates alone — it requires freeing the market to respond to demand. Forcing state mandates, having the state override local authorities, and local representation is wrong.
Small Business & Economic Growth
Small businesses are the backbone of Connecticut’s economy, yet they face some of the highest costs and regulatory burdens in the region.
Excessive licensing, compliance costs, and unpredictable regulations discourage entrepreneurship and drive jobs out of state.
We support:
- Reducing occupational licensing requirements that block entry into trades
- Eliminating unnecessary regulations that raise costs without improving safety
- Creating a stable, predictable legal and tax environment for businesses
- Ending preferential treatment and subsidies for politically connected corporations
Economic growth comes from competition and innovation — not government favoritism.
A Better Path Forward
Connecticut does not need more complex programs or temporary fixes. It needs a clear shift toward limited government, fiscal responsibility, and respect for taxpayers.
Lower costs, lower taxes, and greater freedom will keep families here, attract new residents, and make retirement in Connecticut possible again.
Affordability is not a partisan issue — it’s a quality-of-life issue.
The Libertarian Party of Connecticut is committed to policies that make this state livable again.
Join us in building a more affordable Connecticut.