South Dakota grocery sales tax hits families hard at checkout counter

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) – Getting rid of the South Dakota grocery sales tax was a campaign promise during Governor Kristi Noem’s last re-election campaign.

Although the tax is still in place, one organization is trying to get it removed. In an effort to ease the financial strain, the South Dakota State Federation of Labor is supporting a campaign to get rid of the 4.2% state tax on groceries.

Rick Weiland, the Founder of TakeItBack.org, says the state of South Dakota is an outlier as it is one of the last states to levy a full state sales tax on such a necessity.

“Paying a tax for something that they absolutely have to have to live and their families need to live, it just doesn’t seem quite right. The state offers sales tax exemptions on all kinds of things,” said Weiland.

According to Feeding South Dakota, 90,000 South Dakotans face food insecurity and Weiland says this number shows the need for action.

The group submitted the petitions and are waiting for a ruling from Pierre to learn if the initiative will be on November’s ballot.

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