With deep markdowns and a coupon, I bought two brand-name sport coats at Macy’s over the weekend for $89. If Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had his way, those purchases would have been taxed at their original prices of more than $400.
That would mean a sales tax of about $24 — or 26 percent of the price paid. The sport coats still would have been a bargain, but I can imagine the ugly conversation at the cash register. So can the retail merchants, which is one reason why they are lobbying against the taxing at the original price, not the actual price.
Susan Haigh of the Associated Press explores this small piece of the governor’s $1.5 billion tax plan in depth.