Families pay more for groceries because in Mississippi’s sales tax also applies to food purchases, but the Democratic candidate for governor wants to lower – or even eliminate the tax. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports on what Jim Hood’s plan means for Mississippians.
Attorney General and Democratic nominee for Governor Jim Hood walks around Turner’s Downtown Market in Indianola, passing by bottles of lemonade and assorted produce.
Hood is here to talk about his plan to cut the sales tax on groceries -- which means customers would pay less for food and have more money in their pockets.
To make up for lost sales tax, Hood says he wants to invest online sales taxes into communities.
Hood said big corporations have gotten tax breaks, and that it’s time for working families and local communities to benefit.
“What’s happened though, since 2012, we have given away so much of the state’s money," Hood said. "That’s why we don’t have money for roads and bridges. It’s all these tax giveaways, many of them to out of state corporations. And I think certainly, if we’re going to give all these tax breaks to out-of-state corporations, certainly, we should help working people.”
Charles Modley lives in Sunflower County and said a lower grocery tax would help families like his.
“Even saving up enough money to pay your mortgage, buy new cars…just a lot of things you can do in a household with a family when taxes are being cut – period," Modley said.
Currently, the sales tax is seven percent. Mississippi is one of three states that charges sales taxes on groceries.
Jim Hood will face the winner of next week’s Republican run off election between Tate Reeves and Bill Waller.
