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Bill to let metro governments reduce grocery tax moves out of committee after debate
Summary
Leader Lambreth said H.B. 2186 would allow metro forms of government to reduce a local grocery tax; Representative Powell opposed the change as effectively increasing taxpayer subsidy for per diem/hotel costs. Committee moved the bill to Finance, Ways and Means.
Leader Lambreth presented H.B. 2186 as a technical and policy change to let metro forms of government reduce a local grocery tax and to remove obsolete code language. "We've all been seeking ways to reduce the grocery tax both state level and local level," he told the committee.
Representative Powell criticized the bill, saying it effectively expands per diem or hotel payments for members and that increasing the distance-based per diem benefits the few at taxpayer expense: "I find it actually somewhat appalling that we're sitting here and boosting people's per diem." Other members said the change fixes a statutory gap and allows each metro government to choose whether to reduce the tax. The clerk announced 19 ayes and 2 present-not-voting and the bill was sent to Finance, Ways and Means.
