Malloy's Plan To Hike Luxury Tax Draws Ire In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT (CBSNewYork) -- Is it a reasonable luxury tax to help a cash starved state or another unfair shot at the rich?

Some residents in Greenwich are not liking Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy's proposal to raise the sales tax to 9.35 percent on expensive luxury cars.

WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau: The Outrage Has A State Senator Incensed

Greenwich is home to more than 2,000 owners of high end cars like Bentleys and Aston Martins. Owners of these cars are expressing outrage over the jump in the sales tax.

If approved, vehicles costing more than $50,000 would fall into the new, higher bracket and in a place like Greenwich, the tax would affect a lot of people.

"I think it's devastating to Greenwich," one woman told CBS 2's Emily Smith.

"Go after someone else. That's my opinion," Alfredo Catalano said.

The so-called shared sacrifice approach to paying off Connecticut's budget deficit isn't only targeting luxury buyers but car dealerships too.

"You make a lot of money, but you still don't want to spend it or give it to the government. You still want to keep it for your family," Mercedes Sales Manager John Mazzeo said.

There's concern potential buyers will go out of state and even register the vehicles at a second home.

The sentiment has incensed State Senator Edith Prague, whose work for the poor and aging in Connecticut is legendary.

"It is unbelievable to me that those people don't know what's going on around them and they have the nerve to complain about paying a few more dollars in taxes!" Prague told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau. "They ought to keep quiet and pay the taxes and be thankful that they have so much."

"Those people are driving those cars for pleasure so if they can afford that, I would charge them 20 percent more," Halina Gorecka said.

Do you think this is an unfair shot at the rich? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.