A Victory in the Battle to End the Grocery Tax
February 12th, 2010
DURANT, Okla. – Hello again, everybody! As lawmakers continue to wade through bills in committees, we made a huge step this week in my battle to end the grocery sales tax.
The Senate Finance Committee approved SB 1328, which would end the grocery sales tax when state revenues recover to the pre-recession numbers. That would allow us to end the grocery tax while still providing the services Oklahomans need and expect from state government.
The measure also would ensure cities and counties that depend on grocery sales tax revenue are reimbursed for their lost sales tax when the grocery tax ends. That is a critical component of my bill; without that provision, the bill to repeal the grocery tax will not survive because cities and counties will strongly oppose the bill to protect their tax base.
Any attempt to remove the reimbursement provision is tantamount to killing this effort to end forever the grocery sales tax. Any lawmaker who proposes or votes for such an amendment, for all intents and purposes, is voting to keep in place the sales tax on groceries. And no Oklahoman should fall for any “spin” that says otherwise.
So far, I have been very impressed with both the debate for and against the bill. In committee, the discussion on both sides was reasoned and honest. In fact, both Democrats and Republicans voted for the bill, and Democrats and Republicans voted against the bill. That rarely happens as partisan concerns often trump doing what is right.
This is the first time a complete repeal of the grocery tax has cleared the Finance Committee. I hope that cheap theatrics or political tricks do not end this very real chance to provide a real tax break to the Oklahoma families who need it most.
Why is this battle so very important to me? The answer is simple. Everybody buys groceries, and working and middle-class families spend a greater proportion of their income on necessities like food, and a larger proportion of their income on this tax than do the wealthiest among us.
Ending this unfair tax would strengthen families and spur retail spending, which is the best way to spur a state or national economy. Like the back-to-school sales tax holiday, which I was proud to champion, SB 1328 would put money back into the pockets of those who need it most while providing the Oklahoma economy and state businesses with a much-needed boost.
As always, you can keep up with what is happening at the State Capitol on my website, www.gumm.us. You also can follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jpgumm and on Twitter at twitter.com/jpgumm.
If you wish to call, you can reach my Capitol office at (580) 924-2221 or (405) 521-5586. Again, it is a tremendous honor to represent you at the Capitol, and I am grateful for your comments, emails and insight.
Thanks again for reading this week’s “Senate Minute.” Have a great week, and may God bless you all.