Alabama Food Tax Bill

Knight’s Grocery Cart Challenge

April 6th, 2009

Knight's Grocery Cart

Many argue that the savings realized from removing the state’s 4% sales tax on groceries is so meager that the plan is not worthy of consideration. But, when there are constituents who, after working 80-90 hours per week, are left with roughly $200 a month, (after paying the rent or mortgage, buying gas, paying the car note and insurance, and writing checks for the electricity and water) to feed a family, every little bit counts!

To drive this point home for those who object to the need for grocery savings, Rep. Knight, attempted to use a $50 budget to purchase enough groceries to feed a small family for a week. Take a look at the contents of his cart, as outlined above. What do you think? Could you and your family live off of this for seven days? Would it be healthy, over the period of a year?

In a document released to newspapers across the state today, Knight challenges those who oppose HB116 to also attempt to feed their families on a $50 budget this week, and then return to the House Chamber and vote against the legislation.
“I challenge the members of our Republican Caucus, who contend that a savings plan for 92% of our citizenry is an unfair tax increase, to head to their local grocers this week with $50 for groceries; then, come back and vote against this bill. I dare the 44 to feed their families with only canned vegetables and cheap meat, and dismiss potential savings as insignificant by distorting the issue to save millions of dollars for creative tycoons, those most able, but least willing to pay their fair share.”

While this example may seem extreme, there are working families in our state, who do not qualify for government food assistance programs and manage to make it spending roughly $2500 per year on food. (That’s like spending $50 per week on groceries.) Some must turn to local food banks and church pantries for help. Think they could use an extra $100 that could be saved from the elimination of the grocery tax? We do.

To read Knight’s editorial, click here.

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