A shopper chooses food products from the grocery store in this illustration. The House Ways and Means committee approved a bill proposing to scrap sales tax on food in Arizona. || Deposit Photos
By Jakob Thorington || Arizona Capitol Times January 19, 2023
A bill that would cut municipal taxes on food got initial approval from the House Ways and Means committee on Wednesday.
HB 2061 would eliminate the ability of cities to impose a transaction privilege tax on food items intended for home consumption. House Majority Leader Rep. Leo Biasuicci, R-Lake Havasu City, filed the bill, which and it passed the House Ways and Means committee Wednesday 6-4 along party lines.
“You’re talking about a tax on something we have to have. Food is a necessity for everybody and the fact that its being taxed in my opinion is absolutely ridiculous,” Biasuicci told committee members.
The bill is a Republican proposal to help reduce the effects Arizonans are feeling from inflation. Biasuicci and Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, offered to cut the tax in response to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Jan. 9 state of the state address.
