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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho House has overwhelmingly approved a plan to increase Idaho's grocery tax credit by $10 per person.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee introduced the plan Thursday morning. The House then voted 68-1 to send the proposal to the Senate.
House Majority Leader Mike Moyle from Star is backing the bill, which is estimated to cost almost $14 million in general fund dollars.
The Republican leader's previous sweeping tax plan to raise the fuel tax, lower income taxes on high-income earners and eliminate the grocery tax all together died in the Senate last week.
"We have struggled to try to get some resolutions through the Senate regarding tax relief this year," he told lawmakers. "We have come up short a couple of times."
Moyle says he hopes to introduce a broader tax plan next legislative session.
Under the bill, most eligible Idahoans would be reimbursed $110 per year for taxes paid on food. Seniors would receive $130.
The plan is moving swiftly through the statehouse as lawmakers intend to adjourn for the year immediately after hammering out a compromise on roads funding.
Republican Rep. Fred Wood from Burley was the lone no vote on the plan.
"Everybody ought to pay taxes on groceries," he said. "It's the only taxes that some people pay, and everybody's obligated to pay some tax."
But Moyle says his ultimate goal is to repeal the sales tax on groceries all together.
Democratic Rep. Mark Nye from Pocatello voted no in committee because he said the increase wasn't enough, but he joined the rest of his caucus to endorse the plan on the floor.
The Senate may pick up the plan as early as this afternoon.
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