For the seventh year in a row, Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, is sponsoring a plan to end Missouri’s state sales tax on food and phase out local grocery taxes over time.
She said the Missouri Constitution states that the state government should not be funded on the backs of necessities
“I believe that groceries are a necessary item, and therefore we should not be collecting taxes on grocery items,” said Coleman.
Brentwood Mayor David Dimmitt, whose city is located in St. Louis County, said he opposes the bill because losing grocery tax revenue would significantly impact core city services.
“In 2025, sales taxes on food generated just shy of $5 million in revenue,” said Dimmitt.
Coleman said when looking at the taxing system you can’t just “pull a thread” on a single piece.
“My intention is not to hurt the schools,” said Coleman. “My intention is not to hurt the municipalities. I think as a state and as political subdivisions, we can figure out ways to fund essential services to citizens that isn’t on the backs of necessary items that disproportionately affect the poorest of the poor.”
Morrisville Mayor Dustin Kessler, from the Polk County town of about 376 people, said losing that revenue could hurt funding for their police department.
“Morrisville back in 2020, we passed a sales tax for the general fund to start a police department,” said Kessler. “And we’ve been successful with that. Number wise, we right now bring in 96,000 off of our sales taxes combined. If this passes, we will lose $30,000 of that.”
A Missouri Senate committee heard the bill on Wednesday, and lawmakers will decide soon whether to take any further action on Senator Coleman’s proposal in the weeks ahead.
A link to the bill : https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=606
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