In olden times, travelers and merchants often paid tolls as they moved from shire to shire with their belongings or wares. When the British turned it into an art form, our forefathers got stoked and the rest is on HBO.

Today we find that House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, was aghast that his loyal subjects on the House Democratic Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, added a six percent tax last week on the delivery of most items within the state. As is often the case with the Democrats, this gem was tucked into the majority’s tax package without public hearing or introspection.

Amann and even fellow leader, Senate President Pro Tem Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, were non-plussed. But one again wonders do they think us fools? Finance Co-Chairman Cameron Staples, D-New Haven, is one of the brighter people at the Capitol. Misguided in this politics, yes. Liberal to the core and serving mostly the interests of the teacher’s unions and the big cities? Certainly, But no dummie and certainly aware of what Hell he was wroughting.

Back during the Dark Ages of the State Income Tax Debate, this “delivery tax” was offered up by a group of “moderate” Democrats in the array of tax proposals that were floated as alternatives to the King Lowell version which we live under today.

The tax simply duns every item that is delivered within the confines of the state. At six percent levy on a pizza, or any take out is fair game as are engine parts, fuel oil, carpet, paint and even a long-lost relative, if they are nailed to a chair and carried by two teamsters.

The most laughable part of Amann’s response to the proposal is the Speaker’s claim that it “is dead on arrival.” Well, it has already arrived, slipped through one committee and become a matter of debate. To say he didn’t know about it is also true, since the Speaker is more concerned about getting his Screen Actor’s Guild card that minding the mess we call a Democratic Legislature. And the other gem is that Amann hasn’t spoken to Chairman Staples about the bill yet. That is the oldest aside in the book. In a time when the Speaker can lean out of the window in the spacious Legislative Office Building and yell for anyone, it is hard to believe this proposal wasn’t burning up the phone lines Monday.

But maybe Amann should hire a Town Crier to pronounce the orders of the day and get everyone back on the same page.

In the meantime, go pick up your own extra large with pepperoni before it’s too late.