Taxed at the Checkout, Ignored at the Capitol—Not Anymore
History of the Grocery Repeal fight. Your signature is your POWER!!
Did You Know? A Bit of Idaho History on the Grocery Tax Repeal
Back in 2017, the very first bill to repeal Idaho’s grocery tax passed both chambers of the Legislature only to be vetoed by Governor Butch Otter. But here’s the kicker: he issued the veto after the constitutionally allotted time had expired to either sign or reject the bill. That controversial move sparked a lasting change in how we conduct business at the Capitol.
Since then, we’ve made it a priority not to Sine Die, meaning we don’t officially adjourn the legislative session until the Governor has acted on every bill. It’s one of the ways we’ve worked to safeguard the legislative process and prevent executive overreach.
Take a look at the vote record, see who stood for the repeal and who didn’t. It’s a revealing snapshot of where your elected officials have stood on removing this burdensome tax on Idaho families.
Click here to read the original 2017 bill.
Persistence in the Fight to Repeal the Grocery Tax
In the years following the 2017 veto, dedicated legislators have continued the fight to repeal Idaho’s grocery tax nearly every session since.
Former Representative Ron Nate of Idaho Falls rose to the House floor over 30 times to advocate for grocery tax repeal, unwavering in his efforts to give Idaho families relief at the checkout line. Representative Heather Scott of North Idaho also took bold steps, attempting to send tax bills to the amending order so the repeal could be added. But those efforts were repeatedly met with resistance, then-Majority Leader Mike Moyle(Star) stood on the House floor in direct opposition to Rep. Scott’s request, blocking the repeal from advancing.
Fast Forward to the 2024 Session: Another Grocery Tax Repeal Attempt
At the 2024 IDGOP Winter Meeting, the Republican grassroots overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for the repeal of Idaho’s grocery tax. With that clear mandate in hand and knowing that over 87% of Idahoans support repeal, the Gang of Eight took it upon ourselves to act.
We began the effort in the House, where we were told all tax bills must originate. Representatives David Leavitt(Twin Falls) and Lucas Cayler(Caldwell) carried the routing slip for the repeal to Chairman David Cannon(Idaho Falls) of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, requesting it be placed on the agenda. But that’s where it sat… for over three weeks.
Meanwhile, a bill to increase the grocery tax credit for a partial refund of taxes paid on groceries complete with a provision requiring taxpayers to keep and itemize receipts to receive a bigger refund was introduced on the House floor. We quickly dubbed it the “Bookkeeping for Breadcrumbs” bill. During debate, Representative Kent Marmon(Caldwell) made a bold move: he proposed sending the bill to the amending order to strip out the crumbs and replace them with a full repeal of the grocery tax. That motion failed in a 62–6-2(absent) vote. The weakened tax credit bill then went on to pass the House 61-6-3(absent).
House leadership called Marmon’s motion “hostile” but in truth, that vote sent a clear and undeniable message: the majority who opposed his motion, led by leadership, had no intention of honoring the will of the people by even allowing a grocery tax repeal bill to be heard.
It became increasingly clear that House leadership was intentionally stalling the bill, hoping to discourage us from pressing forward. So, Senator Christy Zito(Mountain Home), Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld(Twin Falls), and Senator Josh Kohl(Twin Falls) pivoted to the Senate. There, we encountered resistance from Chairman Doug Ricks(Rexburg) of the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee.
Still undeterred, we went directly to Pro Tem Kelly Anthon’s(Burley) office to seek support. He suggested that if we were going to pursue repeal, we should include the removal of the grocery tax credit as part of the bill. Taking that advice in good faith, I personally revised the routing slip to eliminate the credit trying to meet leadership halfway.
Unfortunately, a follow-up meeting did not go well. Realizing we were being stonewalled again, we made the decision to at least ensure the effort was recorded. Representative Leavitt submitted the bill as a personal bill, so the record would reflect that we tried to deliver on the will of the people.
If It’s “Not a Big Deal,” Then Why All the Resistance?
We keep hearing that the grocery tax repeal isn’t a big deal that it’s not that much money. So let me ask: if it’s so minor, why is there so much resistance to repealing it?
And here’s the hard truth if we can’t even get a simple grocery tax repeal across the finish line, what makes anyone believe we’ll ever see meaningful reforms like property tax relief?
Yes, I wholeheartedly support giving Idahoans serious tax relief. But let’s be honest: until the Legislature finds the courage to cut the bloated state budget, Idahoans will never see real, lasting relief.
It’s time to stop making excuses and start making real change.
When Your Elected Officials Won’t Fight for You, You Fight for Yourselves!
If your elected officials won’t stand up and fight for you, then it’s time you stand up and fight for yourselves.
At the 2025 IDGOP Summer Meeting, the grassroots once again made their voice clear a resolution passed to move forward with a citizen-led initiative to repeal the grocery tax. But just like before, there’s resistance from within. That’s why your signature matters.
Let’s get this on the 2026 ballot. The official requirement is 70,725 signatures from 18 legislative districts, but let’s blow that out of the water, let’s hit 100,000+ signatures and show the establishment that Idahoans are done waiting.
Because here’s the truth no one in government wants to talk about:
The only ones who get rich during inflation is the government.
The more you pay at the grocery store, the more they collect in taxes.
It’s time you keep more of your hard-earned money. Let’s get this repeal done and then hold your elected officials accountable to cut the budget and deliver even more relief for working Idaho families.
Petitions will be available at fairs and events across the state. I, along with many others, will be setting up local signing opportunities. You can also reach out to your local Republican precinct committeeman or elected official to ask where and when you can sign. This is your chance to take action, don’t wait for someone else to do it. Your signature is your voice.
Idaho….it’s time to show up, speak out, and take back what’s yours!
Thank you for providing the history of the Grocery Tax Repeal bills. Most citizens don't know how the sausage is made (or not made) in Boise, and we appreciate your opening the curtain to reveal the Wizard of Oz.
We added your article to our nuts-and-bolts write up about how to circulate and sign petitions for those who wish to repeal the tax:
Idaho Politics: Signature Gathering Effort & Ballot Initiative to Repeal Idaho’s Grocery Tax — Lighten the load for Idaho families. https://substack.com/profile/68304299-big-e/note/c-140061092
When Governor doLittle vetoed the grocery tax repeal, I knew that it was futile since the liar ran on a platform of grocery tax repeal. Personally, I much prefer ending property taxes on land and homes and the income tax. Private transactions should not be taxed either.