In 1943 a referendum was passed allowing taxes to be levied for library operation.

A tax amnesty would allow unpaid taxes since 1986 to be paid at 15-20 per cent of their original value.

Typically, the Legislature would increase the state contribution, allowing taxes to fall.

Other towns will allow only certain taxes to be paid by credit card.

The wage tax, he said, would allow other taxes to be lowered - especially those paid by business - to stimulate the state's flagging economy.

The company has also sought to swap buildings to take advantage of the law that allows taxes on such 1031 exchanges to be deferred.

Mr. Weicker said the new tax would allow other taxes to be cut, and so stimulate the faltering economy.

Moreover, he allowed "temporary" taxes like the corporate tax surcharge to decline.

More demonstrably, the high tax on oil allows low taxes on everything else which should bolster diversification.

But the Supreme Court quickly declared it unconstitutional because the Constitution only allowed direct taxes to be imposed in proportion to state population.