One vote shy as of Friday, state Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, says he won’t give up the fight to remove the state tax on groceries.Since the removal of the tax would require a constitutional amendment, the House-passed legislation needs three-fifths of the Senate to vote ‘yes’ to allow the people of Alabama their own vote on whether they want to continue paying the tax or have it lifted.
The bill involves removal of the 4 percent state tax people pay on their grocery bills. To offset the reduction in state coffers, Knight proposes to do away with the state deduction for federal income taxes paid.
Supporters of the measure say it would mean 80 percent of Alabamians would pay less in taxes overall. Opposition forces say it is closer to 65 percent.
And that’s the stumbling block we feared in the beginning and urged a compromise that would more nearly satisfy both factions.
That’s what Knight says he has been trying to do in the past few days – looking for a compromise that will land him that 21st vote he needs in the Senate to get the issue before the people.
The final chance for passage will be on the final day of the session on May 19, and we hope that between now and then, Knight can find that elusive compromise.
Forty-eight other states have found a way to remove all or some of their taxes on food, and Alabama ought to be able to follow suit.
With so many other economic hurdles facing Alabamians these days – from soaring gas and utility prices to escalating prescription drugs and health care and other climbing costs – it is long past time to offer some relief.
Removing the state tax on food seems a basic place to start.
