Louisiana State Representative Danny McCormick (R-Oil City) is advocating for the elimination of all local sales taxes on groceries.
McCormick said it would provide financial relief for working-class families.
“I’m trying to give a break to the working-class men and women of Louisiana. They deserve it. We’ve been neglecting them too long and I think it’s shameful that we are taxing the ingredients of groceries here in Louisiana,” said McCormick.
While Louisiana does not impose a state sales tax on groceries, local governments do. McCormick said that leads some residents to cross state lines to get groceries.
“I’m familiar with Northwest Louisiana and Caddo Parish, and right now we have several people that are actually driving to Texas when they buy a big group of groceries because they don’t have to [pay any sales tax],” he said.
McCormick argues that removing grocery taxes would ease the burden of inflation on families. He compares grocery taxes to being charged to breathe.
“Taxing groceries is like taxing oxygen. We have to have it to live. I mean it’s shameful that we are still taxing it at this point,” he said.
