Raising food tax will hurt poor, advocates say

SALT LAKE CITY — Margo Westley has $1.98 to feed herself for the rest of the month, is still recovering from injuries she suffered in a rollover accident several years ago and recently lost three teeth in a fall down a staircase.

Still, the Salt Lake resident has a remarkably good attitude and isn't bitter about her situation, but she's adamant about what paying a higher tax on food will do to the financial tightrope she is walking.

"For me, I pay my bills and I'm done," Westley said. "I'm on disability and don't have an extra dollar to my name. Paying any more for food will make a huge difference."

Westley joined religious leaders and community activists Thursday in announcing the delivery of a letter to Gov. Gary Herbert and the state Legislature opposing any increase of the tax rate on groceries.

Former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and state lawmakers the past few years have reduced the rate to its current 1.75 percent.

While Huntsman championed the goal of completely removing sales tax on food, a bill will be considered in the upcoming legislative session to completely reinstate the full general sales tax rate of 4.7 percent, a change that would bring $145 million in new revenue.

Gina Cornia, executive director of Utahns Against Hunger, said the move, if adopted, will unfairly target residents least able to pay more at the grocery checkout.

"There are many other revenue streams to look at," Cornia said. "We should not put the tax burden on the backs of the poor."

While the Legislature will be struggling to cover an estimated $700 million budget gap in the upcoming session, thousands of residents are struggling right now with covering basic necessities. Cornia said the number of people seeking help through federal food stamp assistance is up nearly 60 percent in Utah and local food banks have experienced a similar increase in demand.

Deacon Elizabeth Hunter of St. Mark's Cathedral in Salt Lake City said the food bank operated by her church, Hildegaard's Food Pantry, has watched numbers skyrocket as the economy has stumbled.

"We have seen a 200 percent increase since 2007," Hunter said. "These are people with desperate needs."

And, while Westley is one of those desperate people right now, she looks forward to better days.

"I've suffered these setbacks and it's frustrating," she said. "But I've got a great attitude, and I think I'm going to climb out of this."

e-mail: araymond@desnews.com