The citizen-initiated measure to eliminate sales tax on groceries in South Dakota received ballot certification from the Secretary of State’s Office.
Voters will see Initiated Measure 28, the measure’s official name, on their ballots Nov. 5.
Dakotans4Health, TakeItBack, and the South Dakota Federation of Labor are groups behind the measure. They submitted more than 25,000 signatures to the Secretary of State at the end of April. The office validated over 85 percent of signatures, meaning the groups easily surpassed the roughly 17,500 signatures required to get a question on the ballot.
“With 61 percent of South Dakotans supporting the repeal of the regressive tax, we are confident that IM 28 will garner widespread support this November," said Rick Weiland, co-founder of Dakotans4Health.
According to Feeding South Dakota, over 72,000 people in South Dakota are food insecure. Supporters of IM 28 say passing the measure would help.
“The repeal of the state’s tax on groceries is an imperative step toward alleviating the financial strain faced by South Dakota’s hardworking families, many of whom spend a substantial portion of their income on basic necessities,” said B.J. Motley, President of the South Dakota Federation of Labor.
