NORTON – Today, Governor Laura Kelly visited Jamboree Foods in Norton, a short 12-mile drive from the Kansas-Nebraska border, to talk about the “Axe the Food Tax” plan’s potential impact on Kansas grocers and communities. Due to Kansas’ high tax on groceries, Kansans residing in the state’s border communities often travel to neighboring states to purchase groceries at a cheaper rate.
“Kansans are finding relief from inflation on groceries by traveling to our neighboring states, and that’s unacceptable,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “That trip for savings hurts our Kansas businesses and makes it difficult for local stores to stay open. Eliminating the state tax on groceries would keep that money in the Kansas economy.”
With the second-highest state sales tax rate on groceries, Kansans pay more for groceries than people in almost every other state. People shopping for groceries in Nebraska and Colorado pay 0.0% state sales tax on groceries. In Oklahoma, the state sales tax rate on groceries is 4.5%, and in Missouri, it is 1.225%. Both Oklahoma and Missouri are also looking at eliminating the state sales tax on groceries, making it more enticing for Kansans to travel across statelines for savings.
The Kansas Legislature returns to the Statehouse on Monday, April 25, where they can pass the complete elimination of the state’s sales tax on groceries, with those savings starting as soon as July 1, 2022.
