Housing

This bill removes sales tax on clothing under $100, school supplies, and appliances, and eliminates a 1% tax on meals sold by grocery stores. It creates new tax credits for homeowners (increasing the existing credit), caregivers of elderly or disabled family members, and renters earning $75,000 or less for primary residence costs. These changes directly lower tax burdens for Connecticut residents, particularly lower- and middle-income households. The bill modifies sales tax rules and expands income tax credits to improve affordability.

SB 272 modifies municipal blight enforcement by removing the requirement for municipalities to provide written notice and a remediation period for properties with three or more blight violations within a 12-month timeframe. It directly affects property owners in municipalities that enforce blight regulations, particularly those with repeated violations. The bill specifies that for such repeat cases, enforcement actions (including civil penalties) can occur immediately without prior notice or opportunity to fix issues. Penalties include daily fines ranging from $150 to $1,000 for residential properties and per-square-foot charges for larger residential or commercial properties, depending on violation history and property size. This change streamlines enforcement for persistent blight issues but maintains the core definitions and standards for blight regulation.