KC Healthy Kids is leading the charge to reduce the burden of food sales taxes in Kansas. At 6.5%, the tax is second highest in the nation.
An average family of four spends about $1100 on groceries each month. In many places, Kansans pay up to 10% in state and local taxes, which adds up to $100 every month, $1200 a year. Kansas is one of the only states that taxes food at the same rate as luxury items. It’s time to make a change.
The Governor’s Council on Tax Reform recommended a food sales tax refund targeted towards low and moderate-income taxpayers in their interim report published in January 2020. We’ll continue to provide updates as they become available.
1. Post on social media. Tag your legislator and add a photo of your groceries or receipt showing the amount of tax you were charged. Here’s a sample social media post:
I care about lowering the sales tax on groceries in Kansas. I’d rather support local businesses in our community. #ksleg please lower the sales tax on food this session.
2. Find your legislator’s contact information. Search Here
3. Email your legislator. Email Template
4. Call your legislator. Phone Template
Kansas needs to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries to improve health and the economy for thousands of Kansans.
In addition to making healthy food more affordable for Kansans, cutting the food tax could help smaller and rural grocery businesses in the state by encouraging customers to shop in Kansas rather than in neighboring states with lower food taxes (1.225% in Missouri, 0% in Colorado and Nebraska, and 4.5% in Oklahoma). Want to know more? KC Healthy Kids has commissioned the Kansas Public Finance Center at Wichita State University to publish a series of reports examining these three ways sales tax on food impacts Kansans.