Blue Ribbon Commission Rejects Food Tax Proposal

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform has rejected a proposal to tax food at grocery stores. Consultants say a 6 percent tax could generate about $500 million each year. The 17-member commission dismissed it as a burden on the poor.  The Courier-Journal reports members met for nearly four hours yesterday to shorten a list of 96 recommendations.

Members also rejected several other proposals, including one that would raise the coal severance tax rate, remove the property tax on airplanes and give a tax credit to people who home-school. Panel chairman Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson says the commission is making progress.