Initiative 1634 will be on the ballot in November. It would ban local taxes on groceries (except insofar as they are subject to general state and local retail sales taxes). Although the impetus for the initiative is Seattle’s sweetened beverage tax, that particular tax would be allowed to continue. No other jurisdictions are considering grocery taxes at this time, but the proposal is in keeping with Washington’s long history of exempting most groceries from state and local retail sales taxes.

Read our policy brief here.