WALLINGFORD - Residents whose cars get 40 miles per gallon or more will soon be able to get a small break on their motor vehicle tax.

The Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday night that reduces the assessment of cars in that category by $5,000. That means that anyone who owns a car that gets at least 40 miles per gallon, based on federal Environmental Protection Agency data, will see their motor vehicle tax bill decrease by $114.30, said council Chairman Michael Brodinsky.

"This isn't enough alone to induce someone to purchase high-mileage car," Brodinsky said.

"It's part of an effort that should be going on not just at the local level, but the state and national ones as well, to get people thinking about conserving energy. It's a statement of values that says we reward and encourage those who engage in conservation measures," he said.

The town will lose an estimated $1,000 in revenue as a result of the ordinance, Brodinsky said.

The reduced assessment of high-mileage vehicles won't take effect until a new grand list is established early next year.

Residents will have to file a form with the tax assessor's office in order to get the reduced assessment.

While the council's support for the ordinance was unanimous, not everyone at Tuesday's meeting thought it was a good idea.

Town Attorney Janis Small, who rarely offers her opinion as a private citizen at council meetings, even though she is a resident said she was opposed to the move.

"There are other incentives for buyers to get these cars," Small said. "I just don't get why we would want to do this."