MONTGOMERY, Ala.—The Alabama House has rejected a proposal to remove the state's 4 percent sales tax on groceries.
The proposed constitutional amendment was opposed by Republicans because it replaced the lost revenue by increasing taxes on some taxpayers making more than $200,000 a year.
The House voted 54-42 for the bill, four votes short of what was needed to bring the issue up for debate.
The sponsor, Democratic Rep. John Knight of Montgomery, said the purpose was to help working families. Alabama and Mississippi are the only states that do not offer some type of tax break on groceries.
The bill came up four times in the House last year and failed to get enough votes to come up each time.
© Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
