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The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Earlier this month, an advocacy group by the name of Tennessee for All launched a petition urging state lawmakers to abolish Tennessee’s current 4% tax on groceries and “make corporations pay their fair share.”
During Tennessee’s 2025 legislative session, both Democrat and Republican lawmakers filed legislation to eliminate the state tax on food and food ingredients.
HB0021, sponsored by Rep. Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville-District 18), proposed elimination of the 4% sales tax on food and food ingredients and allowed local governments to set their own grocery tax.
Items like prepared foods, alcohol, candy, tobacco, and diapers would still have been taxed under this legislation.
“We have all felt the impact of rising food prices over the last few years, and working families have struggled to put food on the table as a result,” Rep. Davis stated. “Tennesseans know best how to spend their own money. Repealing taxes on essential items like food and personal hygiene products has been one of my top legislative priorities.”
Although HB0021 did have support from other Republicans, including House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44), a hefty $800 million fiscal note raised concerns and the bill was placed behind the budget in the House of Representatives.
HB0002 or the “End the Grocery Tax by Closing Corporate Loopholes Act” was sponsored by Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville-District 51).
“They don’t have a way to pay for it, and we do,” Rep. Behn said of the Republican-sponsored bill.
Rep. Behn’s iteration of the grocery tax bill proposed cutting both state and local grocery sales tax in Tennessee and replacing the tax revenue by “closing corporate tax loopholes.”
Tennessee lawmakers ultimately voted to send HB0002 to summer study.
Tennessee for All’s petition calls on state lawmakers to hold a “real Summer Study” and figure out a viable way of “closing corporate tax loopholes and ending the grocery tax.”
“Tennessee lawmakers sent HB0002 that would close corporate tax loopholes and end the grocery tax to Summer Study, but so far, they haven’t studied anything,” wrote Tennessee for All. “We’re demanding they find out why everyday Tennesseans are paying high sales and grocery taxes and why many big businesses are getting away with paying nothing.”
“I did a little math that, you know, if the average Tennessee family spends $250 a week on groceries, they’re going to end up paying $800 a year on grocery tax. There’s no way you can’t tell me that $800 is going to make a difference to a lot of families,” said Tennessee for All member Kent Messner, who questioned if lawmakers were actually listening to their constituents or if they were instead catering to big corporations.
According to Tennessee for All, their goal is to reach 6,400 signatures and letters sent to state lawmakers.
As of this article’s publication, the organization has surpassed their halfway mark with a total of 3,813 signatures and letters.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Here’s link, https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-tn-lawmakers-find-out-why-corporations-arent-paying-their-taxes?source=direct_link&
They are leftists, I changed their form.
Subject; TN Lawmakers & Rep. Ryan Williams – End sales tax on groceries.
Body; Dear Finance Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman Representative Ryan Williams and Tennessee Lawmakers
Double, triple or whatever tax on soft drinks, candy and other poisonous “food” products to correct shortfall, STAND UP to their lobbying against it.