Majority Of Lawmakers Support Repealing Grocery Tax

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - An Associated Press survey of Alabama
legislators finds strong support for removing the state sales tax
on groceries, but sharp division over how to do it.
The House Democratic Caucus has made removal of the grocery tax
a priority for the legislative session beginning Feb. 3.
An AP survey found that 63 percent of House members responding
and 70 percent of senators responding favored one of two plans to
eliminate the 4 percent grocery tax. The rest of the Legislature
was either undecided or didn't like either plan.
One plan would wipe out the tax and replace the lost revenue by
repealing Alabama's state income tax deduction for federal income
taxes paid. The other that would phase out 1 percent of the tax
each year in which revenue for public education grows at least 3
percent.
Support was split fairly evenly between the two plans.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)