By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
House Bill 2106 was signed into law last Wednesday by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, and Kansans will see the effects in their grocery bills next January.
The “Axe the Food Tax” bill will gradually phase out the state sales
tax on groceries. The current 6.5% state tax will be reduced to 4% on January 1,
2023, down to 2% the following year and completely eliminated by January 2025.
Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis said the bill will not affect
local county and city sales tax on groceries, as those taxes will stay put.
The new law applies to all standard food and other select items.
"What are food and food ingredients?" asked Francis. "They're defined to include bottled water, candy, dietary supplements, soft drinks and food served through vending machines. It is to exclude alcoholic beverages, tobacco and most prepared foods."
The sales tax on food generates more than $400 million per year in Kansas. The
state estimated ending the food sales tax would save the average Kansas family
of four over $500 a year.