Local Food Tax Ban Moves Forward

Liz Gullett

Oct 06, 2017

This week, the legislature moved forward with bills in the House and Senate that provide protection for consumers from local governments imposing an excise tax on the production, distribution, and sale of food. As we’ve previously written, the two bills were introduced after local food and beverage taxes were adopted in other parts of the country. Cities nationwide that have enacted such legislation have seen harm to grocery stores, food production, and local employment as a result.

Last week, the Senate Michigan Competitiveness Committee reported SB 583 and this week the Senate moved quickly to pass the legislation. On the House side, the Michigan Competitiveness Committee reported HB 4999 following a committee hearing on Wednesday and the legislation passed overwhelmingly Thursday on a 101-7 vote. According to the chair of the committee, Representative Lee Chatfield (R-Levering), “There are families living paycheck to paycheck and already have serious economic challenges. For a local government to add a tax on a basic staple such as food would force lower-income families to choose between a nutritious meal or some other necessity.”

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.