© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Conn. hits sales tax record in 1st full year of pandemic

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut broke its previous record for sales tax collections during the first full fiscal year of the pandemic, helped by federal COVID-19 aid and a rebounding economy.

The Stamford Advocate reported nearly $5.3 billion was collected for the 12 months through the end of June, which represented a $633 million increase over the previous year. That's enough to cover a year of operating expenses for the state’s public universities and community colleges, the newspaper reported.

Sales tax gains in previous years had ranged between $20 million and $200 million. The recent increase is attributed to individuals and businesses spending federal pandemic relief funds as travel and entertainment restrictions have gradually eased. A real estate boom in the region also has contributed.

Connecticut collects 6.35% on most purchases, with some exceptions for items such as food and luxury vehicles. Income taxes, the biggest source of revenue for the state, generated $10.3 billion in the fiscal year ending in June. That represented a 9% increase but still fell $500 million below the amount collected in the 2018 fiscal year, The Advocate reported.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content
Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.