West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor and state Sen. Derek Slap testified last week about the meals surcharge – which is already imposed on top of Connecticut’s base 6.35% sales tax but currently flows entirely to the state.

By Karla Ciaglo, CTNewsJunkie.com and Ronni Newton, We-Ha.com

Connecticut municipalities could soon receive a direct cut of the state’s restaurant meals tax under legislation advancing in the General Assembly, a shift supporters say would correct a longstanding imbalance between where tourism dollars are generated and where they end up.

Senate Bill 2, co-sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff along with 21 other Senate Democrats, would split the existing 1% surcharge on restaurant meals equally between the state’s Tourism Fund and a newly created “municipal diversification account.” Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, towns would receive quarterly distributions based on where the revenue was collected.

“This legislation takes an existing revenue stream and directs it to municipal aid and ties the success of the restaurant industry to our state’s investment into promoting tourism,” said state Sen. Derek Slap (D-West Hartford). “This proposal would relieve pressure on local taxpayers and municipal budgets, encourage investment in the restaurant industry, and help Connecticut harness more tourism dollars. It really is a win-win and I’m grateful to Senate leadership for making this proposal a caucus priority.”

From left: West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, State Sen. Derek Slap, President & CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association Scott Dolch, Restaurateur Aubrey LaMonica and General Manager of Hotel Marcel Ben Webster. Courtesy photo

“Senate Bill 2 is a smart, structural fix that aligns revenue with responsibility,” said West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor. “By returning a portion of meals tax revenue to municipalities, we can support the small businesses that are the fabric of our communities, strengthen local economies, and generate long-term growth for the state.”

According to Slap’s office, in FY25 the 1% surcharge generated $3,310,779.86 of revenues from West Hartford. Under the proposal, half of the funds generated would go directly to the towns from which the revenue originated, and the other half would be directed to the state’s Tourism Fund.

Click here to read more about this measure on CTNewsJunkie.com.

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