No surprise, every year this comes up, and every year their desire to stick it to the poor (and frankly anyone who eats food) is maintained;
The House Taxation Committee voted 11-3 Tuesday to defeat the bill. It would have increased the state’s 4.5 percent sales tax rate on other goods and services to remove the tax on food for home consumption.
Long a popular idea among Democratic lawmakers, such food sales tax bills have failed in the past. Democratic Rep. Ray Ring, the bill’s main sponsor, says the measure would help make South Dakota’s tax structure less regressive.
Business organizations, Republican lawmakers and the executive branch opposed the bill.
It is estimated that those on the lowest level of the income bracket in our state pay between 16-Â 20% of their income towards taxes, and the working class isn’t much better.
I’m against sales taxes to begin with, a horrible and regressive way to fund government, but taxing food and exempting stuff like advertising makes no sense at all. If we are going to tax food at the full 4.5% state tax rate, we should tax EVERYTHING at that rate, no exemptions.
The SD GOP proves once again what they think about the working stiffs of this state, you are dirt, oh, and please stop voting for measures that make us do our job ethically.
‘House of Lords’ is right.
“House of Lords,” indeed!
Often our Republican friends champion the cause of business and small business in particular, claiming that true liberty and its maintenance is found in property rights and the ability to exercise those rights.
Given that assertion, why do our Republican friends believe that that principal should not also apply to the ability of families to get ahead, or stay ahead, without the strangulation of unnecessary and regressive taxation as well?
I have always felt that the ultimate business, or small business, is the American family. It is the American family that produces everything from janitors and garbage haulers to doctors and teachers, which are all essential to the formation and maintenance of a strong and vibrant American economy. When you impede the American family through regressive taxation, you impede the fundamentals of what makes business, and business in America, truly succeed…… Not to mention, that such prevention of growth opportunities for that part of American business are also not “Pro-Family,” which ironically is another claimed beckoning call of our friends on the other side of the aisle….But when you realize they have a peerage attitude, I must say, it begins to explain things, but does not justify them….
Repealing alcohol and tobacco taxes would save more money for the poor. Just saying.
At this point I represent myself. When government no longer represents the masses, cheat on your taxes. I go one step further making clothing and most food purchases in Minnesota. When I vote, it’s never for an incumbent. It takes inexperienced politicians awhile before they succumb to bribes and corruption. I’d like to see a revolution blocking city hall and Pierre. Hopefully, it’ll be nonviolent. The North Dakota pipeline demonstrations had significant impact. When government must spend for security, there’s less they can spend on Indoor Tennis and swimming for themselves and the elite.