State Rep. McClammy pledges effort to eliminate state sales tax on groceries

State Rep. Penni McClammy (D-Montgomery) has only been in office since last November, but she is already eyeing what she hopes to make one of her policy priorities during her tenure: the elimination of the state of Alabama’s regressive sales tax on groceries.

During an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” McClammy discussed the effort and credited former Rep. John Knight (D-Montgomery) as the inspiration.

“[I]f you all may recall [former] Representative John Knight — that was almost his baby bill every year in the sessions,” she explained. “Now that Representative Knight is no longer with us, I still feel as though it is important for us to introduce his bill and keep moving forward on trying to get it through.”

“When I came back to Montgomery, that was one thing that opened my eyes — why are we taxing our groceries?” McClammy said. “You know, I tell people all the time, especially during this pandemic of COVID, we’ve had to make a lot of decisions as Americans on what we can afford to pay, especially if you’re elderly. You know, it’s already rough enough, especially when retirees retire. You end up having medical illnesses, and then you have to make a decision: Do I have enough money to pay my bills? Do I have enough money to pay my medical bills? And do I have enough money to eat, especially here with a 10% sales tax here in Montgomery?”

McClammy said her effort would not repeal the entire sales tax on groceries and that local governments would be responsible for how to handle their portion of sales taxation.

She also said she was targeting tax relief for over-the-counter prescribed medicines. If or how the state would make up for the decline in tax revenue she said was also yet to be determined.

McClammy, who is running for her first full term in the November elections, did not anticipate consideration this legislative session, which is now underway.

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.