State collects $12.5M in first month of tax amnesty
Connecticut’s latest tax amnesty program has collected $12.5 million since its launch on Nov. 1, with some taxpayers paying debts more than 20 years old, Mark Boughton, the commissioner of revenue services and former Danbury mayor, said Monday.
“We anticipate that this will probably raise around $40 million to $50 million this year in back taxes,” Boughton said. “I just want to emphasize that this is the last time we’re going to do this in a long time. So take advantage of this now.”
Boughton and Gov. Ned Lamont held a news conference in Madison on Monday to publicize the program, which can be accessed at GetRightCT.com.
“The state’s got a fresh start. We are coming out of COVID. Everybody needs a fresh start in life,” Lamont said.
The program does not forgive tax debt but can waive the penalties and slash the interest charges that can grow larger than the original tax bill. Interest is cut by 75 percent.
“We had a case that went back to 2014 that was over $3 million. We were able to resolve it for about $1.2 million using this program,” Boughton said. “We just had somebody that applied last weekend that owed us money from 1997, and it was several hundred thousand dollars that we’re able to collect.”
Some inquiries have involved debts as little as $800, he said.
Filers can seek amnesty involving the state income, sales, corporation, other business, cigarette, gift, estate and motor vehicle fuels taxes. Local property taxes are not eligible.
The state had amnesty programs in 1990, 1995, 2002, 2009 2013 and 2017. While Boughton insists this one will be the last for a long time, he cannot control what future administrations offer.