Hood Shows He’ll Fight To Cut Working Families’ Taxes In Rural Grocery Store Stop
Yesterday, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jim Hood stopped at a locally owned grocery store in Indianola, highlighting his campaign promise to cut the grocery tax.
Mississippi is one of three states fully taxing groceries at the same rate as the sales tax. Many states have slashed this tax because it burdens working families and hurts the bottom line of rural grocery stores.
Grocery taxes increase the likelihood of food insecurity. One study found that a one percentage point increase in the grocery tax increases the probability of non-SNAP households being food insecure by 0.6 percent. With Mississippi’s 7 percent sales tax rate, the state increases the probability of non-SNAP food insecurity by 4.2 percent. And that doesn’t include local or county taxes!
Here’s a roundup of Hood’s visit showing he’ll fight for a tax break for Mississippi families:
WJTV: Jim Hood proposes cutting grocery tax
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Hood, traveled to the Delta today to propose cutting the tax on groceries.
Speaking from a family-owned grocery in Indianola, Hood says it’s time to give working families a break, starting with one of more [sic] expensive items in a monthly budget… food. Hood says a single-income working Mom pays the same tax as a millionaire. The current attorney general says giving families a break would make it easier for families to make ends meet.
MPB: Jim Hood Wants To Lower State Tax On Groceries
Hood said big corporations have gotten tax breaks, and that it’s time for working families and local communities to benefit.
“What’s happened though, since 2012, we have given away so much of the state’s money,” Hood said. “That’s why we don’t have money for roads and bridges. It’s all these tax giveaways, many of them to out of state corporations. And I think certainly, if we’re going to give all these tax breaks to out-of-state corporations, certainly, we should help working people.”
Charles Modley lives in Sunflower County and said a lower grocery tax would help families like his.
“Even saving up enough money to pay your mortgage, buy new cars…just a lot of things you can do in a household with a family when taxes are being cut – period,” Modley said.
Currently, the sales tax is seven percent. Mississippi is one of three states that charges sales taxes on groceries.
AP: Hood proposes cutting Mississippi’s grocery tax
The Democratic nominee for Mississippi governor says he wants to cut the state’s 7 percent grocery sales tax in half to give working people a break.
Attorney General Jim Hood spoke Wednesday at a locally owned grocery store in the Delta town of Indianola. He said the Republican-led legislature has given millions of dollars in corporate tax breaks.
Hood says to keep cities from losing money with a grocery tax reduction, he wants to send revenue from an online sales tax to cities and counties.