Group wants grocery tax removed

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - An organization that represents Alabama's poor is urging the Legislature to pass a proposed constitutional amendment to remove the 4 percent state sales tax from groceries and over-the-counter medicine.

The state coordinator for Alabama Arise, Kimble Forrister, said Thursday removing the sales tax from groceries would help most Alabama families. The proposed amendment was voted on four times in the Alabama House last year, but did not pass.

Republicans mostly opposed the bill because it would also remove the deduction for federal income taxes from high income taxpayers.

The sponsor, Democratic Rep. John Knight of Montgomery, said the bill would allow couples making under $200,000 a year to keep the whole federal income tax deduction.