Kansas lawmakers should not miss this historic opportunity to eliminate the state sales tax on food.
This change would improve the lives of virtually all Kansas families and would be especially meaningful to the 280,000 AARP members in Kansas, their families, and all older adults in our state. That’s why AARP Kansas is calling on our state lawmakers to make eliminating the state sales tax on food a reality once and for all.
Kansas is one of only 13 states that still tax food. In 2020, there were 65,000 Kansans ages 50 and older who were food insecure according to research from the AARP Public Policy Institute. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of older Americans struggling with hunger rose sharply. Our state’s existing tax on food surely exacerbates this insecurity.
When you are retired, it’s tough to increase your income. Annual cost-of-living adjustments — when they happen at all — don’t keep up with the rising costs of prescription drugs, utilities and other consumer goods. As a result, food taxes can require older Kansans to choose between buying food for themselves and their families and other vital necessities, such as prescription drugs and heat.
With costs increasing even more rapidly these days, many retirees are counting on every penny.
Moreover, food insecurity is hitting some groups disproportionately. Stark racial and ethnic disparities in food insecurity have long existed among older Americans, and disparities only worsened between 2019 and 2020. Pre-pandemic, older Black Americans faced food insecurity at nearly three times the rate of their white counterparts. Now the difference is four-fold. Food insecurity also edged up among older Hispanic and Asian Americans.
Access to an adequate and nutritious diet is foundational to maintaining health, quality of life, and independence as we age. While the risk of developing chronic conditions increases with age, recent AARP Foundation-funded research indicates that nutrition is more important for healthy aging than generally recognized.
Our older Kansans are our volunteers, our caregivers, and our veterans, and their contributions to our communities have been and continue to be vital. They surely deserve the ability to live with dignity in their retirement years. Eliminating the food tax so they can access nutritious food without having to sacrifice other essentials will help achieve this meaningful goal.
Food tax relief is an investment in the financial security of Kansans for years to come. Kansas’ elected officials must take advantage of this historic opportunity to help protect our older residents and their families. The time to eliminate the state sales tax on food is now.
About the author: Glenda DuBoise is the state director for AARP Kansas.
