October 6, 2026
Democrat Win???
Idaho Families Have Waited Long Enough
The Democratic Party did not discover Idaho’s grocery tax.
They are leveraging it as the politically powerful issue that it is.
Idaho families have been asking for grocery-tax repeal for decades—long before I ever served in the Legislature and long before I became a precinct committeewoman.
In 2017, Representative Ron Nate carried legislation to repeal Idaho’s 6% sales tax on groceries. It passed the House 51–19 and the Senate 25–10.
Then Governor Butch Otter vetoed it. The Idaho Supreme Court reviewed his veto by omission and ruled for the Governor. Not surprised.
I know this issue personally.
I have tried to get hearings on repealing the grocery tax. I have watched the issue be ignored. And when I used the proper legislative procedure to attach a grocery-tax repeal amendment to an income-tax reduction bill, I felt the wrath of the Senate Republican Caucus.
That tells me something.
This has never been about whether Idaho can afford to repeal the grocery tax.
It has been about whether those in power are willing to give up the revenue and give the conservative wing of the Republican Party a win, and give families of Idaho a loss.
Today Idaho still charges a 6% sales tax on groceries. Instead, those in power in the legislature have chosen to give taxpayers a grocery-tax credit. They are essentially collecting your hard-earned money at the checkout and expecting you to file taxes. Even more insulting, if you want a pittance more, you keep all of your receipts and itemize them for the State Tax Commission, and you may get a little more of YOUR MONEY BACK.
That isn’t repeal.
And I have heard, firsthand, the argument that the grocery tax is necessary because it allows Idaho to collect money from tourists and people here illegally.
I will say this:
Idaho families should not be punished at the grocery store because politicians don’t listen.
The people hurt most by the tax on food, a tax that is not a luxury tax, but a tax on something that nobody can choose not to buy, are families and seniors living on fixed or limited incomes.
Food isn’t a luxury.
You can’t put it off until next month.
You cannot decide not to eat because inflation is high.
And you shouldn’t have to wait until tax season to get some of your own money back.
Now the Idaho Democratic Party has formally embraced repealing the grocery tax.
Let’s not rewrite history.
This issue did not belong to them yesterday, and it doesn’t belong to them today. It belongs to Idaho taxpayers.
Republican leaders need to answer a very simple question:
If Idaho has enough money to cut other taxes repeatedly, why can’t we finally stop taxing the food Idaho families have to put on their tables?
After all these years, I’m tired of excuses.
I’m tired of political games.
And I’m tired of watching politicians take credit for tax relief while refusing to eliminate the taxes that families actually feel every week.
Idaho families have waited long enough.
It’s time to stop talking about grocery-tax relief and repeal the grocery tax.
God bless,
Senator Christy Zito
District 8
Protecting Freedom for Future Generations
P.S. If you haven’t already, subscribe to my Substack (zitoforidaho.substack.com) for straight talk from the Capitol and updates you won’t get from the mainstream press. Let’s stay connected and stay strong.
