A coalition of faith-based, community, non-profit, and other civic organizations met at the Alabama state capitol in Montgomery last week to call for reducing the state tax on groceries. The Alabama Arise Action (Arise) group is pushing for a sustainable plan to eliminate the grocery tax altogether.

The coalition is encouraging legislators to support HB 386, introduced by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville. Garrett’s bill would lower the tax from 3% to 2% beginning on September 1.

At a press conference, Rev. Clyde Jones, an associate minister at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Daphne and president of the Arise board, spoke on behalf of the group. He said Arise “believe[s] in breaking down policy barriers that limit opportunity” and that “public policy should make it easier, not harder, for struggling families to make ends meet.”

Only ten states currently have a state grocery tax, with rates ranging from 0.125% (Arkansas) to 7% (Mississippi). Alabama’s is 3%. In recent years, there has been a movement for grocery taxes to be eliminated, with Kansas ending its practice this year.

Arise’s executive director, Robyn Hyden, said, “This is a highly regressive tax that drives many people deeper into poverty. Taxing food makes it harder for struggling families to put food on the table. It is a cruel tax on survival. This tax needs to end, and the sooner, the better.”

In 2023, advocacy by Arise and other groups in Alabama helped reduce the state’s grocery tax from 4% to 3%.

A full video of last Thursday’s press conference can be viewed here.