Dear Legislative Leadership:
For too long, Kansans have faced one of the highest food sales taxes in the country. Today, Kansas residents can agree: it is time to eliminate the state-level food sales tax. We come together as organizations, agencies, and individuals serving communities across Kansas to urge you to make ending the state-level food sales tax a top priority for the 2022 session and help families put food on their tables, particularly low-income families.
Every single Kansan will benefit. The high state-level food sales tax hurts Kansas families, particularly those in households who struggle financially due to low wages and the rising costs of groceries and housing. It is estimated the elimination of the state-level food sales tax will save Kansans crucial funds that families can put towards basic necessities. Additionally, this legislation will help low-income families in not having to spend a bigger percentage of their paychecks on state-level food sales taxes than higher-income households.
Keep the policy simple and straightforward. Kansans of every race, zip code, and family income level are eager to see lawmakers commit to a tax plan that works for everyone—not just the wealthiest individuals or businesses in the state. It is imperative the Legislature work together and refrain from loading the bill with unnecessary, expensive items that will tip the state back into financial peril. Kansas can continue to afford this critical measure if it remains a stand-alone policy.
Putting money back into the pockets of Kansas families must not be delayed. Now is the time to invest in families. Legislation must be passed by Kansas Day (January 29) so individuals and businesses alike have time to prepare for the change. With strong revenue projections estimated for FY 2022, the state can implement the long-talked-of priority of eliminating the state-level sales tax on food. The Legislature must prioritize this opportunity to invest in Kansas families without allowing it to become bogged down in the political process.
As the leaders of the Kansas Legislature, you have a duty to direct the Senate and House of Representatives in advocating for its constituents. Kansans across the state urge you to help them make ends meet and put nutritious food on their tables.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter. Kansans deserve a state government that works to relieve the financial stress and hardships they have been facing for years. Together, we can pass a bipartisan measure that will profoundly impact the people who call Kansas home.
Sincerely,
The following undersigned organizations and individuals:
Organizations
Non-profits
Kansas Action for Children
ACLU Kansas
American Heart Association
Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka
Climate + Energy Project
Community Assistance Center
El Centro Inc.
The Family Conservancy
Food Equality Initiative
God’s Storehouse
Greater KC Food Policy Coalition
Independence Living Resource Center, Inc.
Kansas Advocates for Better Care
Kansas Appleseed
Kansas Association of Community Action Programs (KACAP)
Kansas Head Start Association
Kansas Interfaith Action
Kansas Poor People’s Campaign
Kansas Veterans Count
KC Healthy Kids
Liberal Area Rape Crisis & Domestic Violence Services, Inc. (LARC DVS)
Mainstream Coalition
Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, Inc. (MORE2)
Mid-Kansas Community Action Program Inc. (Mid-KS CAP)
Northeast Kansas Community Action Program Inc. (NEK-CAP)
Nurture KC
Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services, Inc.
Rice County United Way
Thrive Allen County
United Community Services of Johnson County
United Way of Central Kansas
United Way of Dodge City
United Way of Douglas County
United Way of Greater Topeka
United Way of Junction City/Geary County
YWCA Northeast Kansas
Food Bank and Food Pantries
After the Harvest
Allen County Community Food Pantry
Beacon Food Pantry
Columbus Christian Center
Community Access Center
Fredonia Food Bank
Geary County Food Pantry
Genesis Inc. of Coffeyville
God’s Food Pantry
Harvesters
Hillside Christian Church Food Pantry
Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City
Just Food of Douglas County
Kansas Foodbank Warehouse Inc.
Manna Ministry
Meade Food Bank
Old Time Gospel Baptist Pantry
Phillips County Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry
Severy Church of the Nazarene Harvest House Food Pantry
Stockton Food Pantry
Toronto Christian Church Food Bank
Unified Support Agency - Project Hope
Wallace County Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry
Wellington Community Food Bank
Westside Good Neighbor Center
Health
Compass Behavioral Health
Flint Hills Wellness Coalition
HealthCore Clinic
Kansas Health Foundation
REACH Healthcare Foundation
Government and Health Departments
Douglas County Food Policy Council
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment
Johnson County Food Policy Council
Kansas African American Affairs Commission
Kansas Association of Local Health Departments
Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission
Lawrence Douglas County Public Health
Marion County Health Department
Rush County Health Department
Faith Organizations
Grace Revolution Church
Living Word Outreach
Revolution Fellowship
Sisters of St. Joseph
St. Monica’s Circle
Udall United Methodist Church
Business and Labor
ADS Distributing, Inc.
Barker Printing
Bambino Bungalow
East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corp. (ECKAN)
The Food Conservancy/Rainbow Organic Farms/Good Natured Family Farms
Greater Kansas City Building Trades Council
IBEW Local Union 226
Kansas National Education Association
The Merc Co+op
Quality Child Care
Retail Grocers Association - Kansas
RPG (Restaurant, Pub & Games)
Something Different
Sunflowers & Elephants
Tammy’s Little Angels Childcare
Tiny Tots Daycare
Tonis Little Learners LLC
Working Kansas Alliance
Individuals
Karlea Abel
Molly Adams
Victor Aguilar
Cruz Agustina
Brian Alferman
Zarina Alfers
Teresa Amith
Eve Anderson
Katrina Anderson
Laura Anderson
Karen Anderson Harvey
Scott Anglemyer
Mary Ann Fleming
Vicki Arnett
Martha Arrieta
Christine Ashburn
Sandra Ayala
Callie Baker
Larry Balthazor
Sister Therese Bangert
Leigh Barrett
Nickolaus Bastian
Jasmine Bates
Gerlin Batres
Eddy Beard
Armando Bejarano
Madeline Benson
Sandra Bentley
Michael Bird
Theresa Bird
Marilyn Blaufuss
Gary Blevins
Tiffany Blevins
Richard Booth
Teresa Bray
Angela Breer
Georgia Briery
Janelle Brittain
Sheryl Brotton
Amy Brown
Ingrid Brown
J Scott Brown
Jeanne Burchett
Randall Burdge
Joan Burger
AnnMarie Butler
Jane Byrnes
Margarita Cabrera
Mary Carr
Barry Carroll
Shelby Carrothers
Valorie Carson
Amanda Caruso-Yahne
Janet Cashman
Molly Cassidy
Gloria Castellanos
Diana Chapel
James David Childers
Eric Childs
Melissa Childs
Matthew Chrisman
M Susan Claflin
J Clark
David Close
Reid Coffman
Kristine Colin
Chavely Conde
Shelli Crow-Johnson
Iris Cruz
Isaias Cruz
Monica Cuevas
James Culp
Melissa Dahlke
Karen Davis
Lizbeth De jesus
Kim Decker
James DeGray
Olivia Delgadillo
Maria Delgado
Carole Denton
Judy Kay Desetti
Georgia DeVader
Emily DeWit
Jesus Diaz
Brett Dietrich
Paul Dohm
Carrie Dozier
Jeff Dozier
Maxine Drew
Clark Duffy
Deborah Dunlap
Kathy Dunn
Mary Dykmann
Caitlyn Eakin
Dorothy Easterday
Lisa Eastman
Ethel A. Edwards
Lane Eisenbart
Nancy Empson
Jennifer Erickson
Don Evans
Maria Fernandez
Robert Fetsch
Susan Fetsch
Corina Figueroa
Ashea Finch
Jeremy Fite
Kristy Flores
Asia Foster
Bambi Fulton
Jennifer Funk
Martha Gabehart
John Garretson
Elisabeth Gaston
Rebekah Gaston
Anita Germain
Ruthie Gillen
Donna Ginther
Carol Goldstein
Janet Gonzalez
Megan Gottschalk
Bradley Grabs
Susan Green
Glenn Greenfield
Mary Greer
Ken Grenz
Barbara Griffith
Gladys Gutierrez
Ilse Guzman
Anne Haflich
Denise Hallgren
Kathy Halpin
Kristin Hammer
Liliana Haro
Jennifer Harr
Brad Harrison
Dorothy Hartung
Sarah Hartwig
Mary Haubold
Kelly Hearnen
Colleen Helm
Loring Henderson
Julie Hendrickson
Elia Hernandez
Guadalupe Hernandez
Ilse Hernandez
Laura Hernandez
Megan Hill
Sara Hodges
Jeane Hoffman
Diana Hogan
Christina Holt
Ralph Hoover
Anita Horine
Amanda Horner
June Horning
Liz Howze
Barbara Huff
Marilyn Hunt
Jennifer Hurley
Polly Hurst
Johnnelle Hymon
Pat Ireland
Missy Irwin
Fran Jaderborg
Jonathan Jantz
Karen Johns
Danielle Johnson
Robert Johnson
Beverly Jones
Angela Kahle
Robert Keith
Tabitha Keith
Becky Kendrick
Helen Kline
Angela Knackstedt
Cheryl Knoedler
Dawn Knudtson
Gabrielle Kocour
Janet Kropp
LeAnn Kruckenberg
Cynthia Kuhn
Jodi Lamping
Joan Leavens
Diana Lee
Maria Leiva
Mary Lenahan
Melinda Lewis
Jenny Lillis
Mary Ellen Loch
Debbie Logsdon
Elizabeth Long
Amanda Loughridge
Ruby Mackinnon-Love
Janet Majure
Megan Marmor
Maria Marquez
Karen Martellaro
Larry Martin
Erika Martinez
Maria Martinez
Yanet Martinez Tinajero
Silvia Masin
Georgia Masterson
Gail McAdoo
Dona McAndrews
Christi McChesney
Barbara McCracken
William McKay
Julie McLain
Dawn McNay
Cynthia Medina
Mark Medina
Pat Metsinger
Evelyn Mierau
Angela Miller
Janet Miller
Lorene Miller
Amelia Molina
Ivonne Montanez
Timmi Moore
Kim Morgan
Virginia Morgan
Lisa Moritz
Melanie Mullican
Irma Munguia
Verenice Murcia
Leon Naegele
John Nave
William Needels
Cheryl Neubauer
Amanda Neujahr
Richard Neuschafer
Sarah Newell
LaVeta Noble
Alycia Noel
Harry Nogle
Shelley Norton
Shonna Nowak
Oluoma Obi
Hugh O’Donnell
Denise Ogilvie
Ana Orellana
Rita Orleans
Nelba Ortez
Angela Ostermann
Diane Overstreet
Marsha Owen
Charell Owings
Judith Palma
Dina Patton
Alisha Pearson
Shanin Peck
Mary Jane Pelletier
Alma Pena
Amanda Penick
Vicki Pepperdine
Maria Perez
Christine Peterson
Terese Peterson
Mike Phipps
Kathryn Pieper
Elsa Pineda
Octavia Pleas
Sandra Poe
Maria Portillo
Nancy Powers
Andrew Prach
Erin Pritchard
Tia Raamot
Linda Railsback
Elizabeth Ramirez
Ana Ramos
Katharine Reed
Julie Reid
Ruth Reischman
Brad Rhoden
Marla Rhoden
Paul Rhodes
Shelley Rich
Julie Richardson
Gary Richmond
Corey Ripper
Becky Ritchey
David Ritter
Robin Robinson
Mary Roccasalva
Andrea Rocha
Ana Rodriguez
Rex Romeiser
Linda Roth
Cynthia Runge
Jacob Sanchez
Shelley Sandberg
Thomas Schwartz
Wendy Seda
Heidi Seligman
Raymond Semrad
Fran Sheehan
Sister Anne Shepard
Kate Sims
Linda Sizemore
Rosemary Smagiel
Jennifer Smidt
Debbie Smith
Diane Smith
Marilyn Smith
Carol Snyder
Sheila Sonnenschein
Tania Soto
Linda Steigman
Janet Steinle
Tina Steventon
Linda Stinnett
Robert Stohr
Marian Stubbs
Patty Stuever
Francine Sutton
Katherine Swenson
Beatrice Swoopes
Pamela Tate-Dunham
Steve Taylor
Shari Tedford
Sandra Tepesch
Cecilia Thibault
Matt Thibault
Sister Janice Thome
Sarah Thompson
Catherine Thomson
Janelle Timson
Jennie Toland
Norma Tolle
Kimberly Tomassini Aguilar
Sidonio Torres
Romelia Toscano
Michael Trostle
Angie Urenda
Mike Vanlandingham
Claudia Vasquez
Erick Vaughn
Keren Vazquez
Henry Velasquez
Luz Vina
Jerry & Patricia Vincent
Stan Voth
Laura Wagner
Joanna Warman
Linda Watts
Cole Waymire
Agnes Weber
Roserita Weber
Carolyn Weinhold
Jessica Wesley
Sr. Charlotte White
Barbara Wieseler
David Williams
Francine Williams
Grace Wilson
William Wilson
Gwen Wurst
Melanie Yoder
Domitilla Yu
Cecilia Zapata Mendoza
Jutta Zelko
Starra Zweygardt
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