Legislation to Exempt Sales Tax on Food
Air Date:01/13/2011
By Jackelyn Severin
Over 30 states in the US exempt food items from state sales taxes. One lawmaker wants South Dakota to follow suit.
Democratic Representive Marc Feinstein of Sioux Falls says he will introduce legislation to exempt grocery items from the state’s 4 percent sales tax. He says the bill will offset any revenue lost to the state by increasing the sale’s tax on other goods and services by just over .3 percent.
Feinstein says this bill will help the working poor who can’t afford the extra 4 percent sales tax at the grocery store.
Feinstein says, "If they buy 50 dollars worth of food that’s two dollars. They can’t afford that extra two dollars. They have to put something back and that could be that gallon of milk for their children."
Feinstein says this bill exempts all food items except pop and candy.
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