Idaho Tax Credit to Make Food More Affordable

Idaho Governor Butch Otter this week signed legislation expanding the Gem State's grocery tax credit and correcting a major flaw that had plagued the credit for some time. The measure, which is projected to reduce state revenue by $122 million once fully implemented, will ultimately increase the value of the refundable credit to $400 for a family of four or $240 for an elderly couple. More importantly, though, taxpayers who are too poor to owe income taxes but who still must pay sales taxes on their groceries will finally be able to receive the credit. Until the Governor signed this latest bill, married couples earning less than $17,500 were ineligible for the credit, unless they were elderly or disabled. As this policy brief from ITEP points out, the new law is only one of several steps Idaho should take towards making its tax system more fair.