Last year, a commission charged with coming up ways with to improve Connecticut’s fiscal health and economy floated the idea of a 2 percent tax on groceries.
Governor Ned Lamont hasn’t confirmed he’s seriously considering the concept, but there’s no shortage of people opposed.
That’s not how it works in the rest of New England.
Massachusetts and New Hampshire don’t tax groceries. Vermont just taxes soft drinks, and Rhode Island taxes fruit drinks and candy.
Maine doesn’t tax staples, but does tax items that are ready to consume — from soft drinks and candy to hummus and microwaveable meals.
In Connecticut, Lamont will have to decide whether he wants his state to start taxing groceries before he proposes his budget to the legislature next month.
This report comes from the New England News Collaborative: Eight public media companies, including The Public’s Radio, coming together to tell the story of a changing region, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
