Kansas governor signs bill to cut state food taxes

OLATHE, Ks (KCTV5) - Kansans will start paying less at the grocery store in the next year.

Governor Laura Kelly officially signed a bill Wednesday afternoon to reduce the state food sales tax to zero by 2025.

“Every little bit helps,” said shopper Scott McLaughlin. “That’s for sure.”

Kansas state food tax is second highest in the nation.

“That’s never made sense,” said Kelly. “It especially doesn’t make sense right now with inflation being what it is.”

Starting in January 2023 taxes will decrease to 4 percent. In 2024, it goes down to 2 percent. Eventually, in 2025 people shopping in Kansas won’t pay state sales tax on food and “food ingredients” according to the bill.

“This one, wasn’t what I wanted entirely,” Kelly said to reporters after signing the bill. “I wanted it all and I wanted it to start July 1st, but this bill does eventually eliminate the entire sales tax on food.”

Families are looking forward to the savings, however it comes.

“It would allow us to be able to travel a little bit more over the summer,” said Kristin Nichols.

Democratic lawmakers will look to summer break as a time to push for an earlier start to the cut.

“I hope Republicans will take it up,” said Kansas Senate Democratic leader Dinah Sykes. “I’m in the super minority, but that is something I’ve been pushing for and asking Republican leadership to do.”

Kansans said more and more of their money is being allocated to rising grocery prices, so they welcome the change.

“That’s awesome news,” Nichols said. “I love that we’ll be saving more dollars at the cashier.”

The bill does exclude lowering and eliminating taxes on alcohol, tobacco and most prepared foods.

Copyright 2022 KCTV. All rights reserved.