Court Allows Tax Repeal to Remain on Ballot

A proposal to abolish sales taxes on food and medicine doesn’t deceive voters and can stay on the Nov. 5 ballot, the state Supreme Court decided.

Polls show widespread support for the initiative, which backers say would eliminate an unfair levy that falls hardest on the poor. Officials say the measure would hurt residents through loss of services, and they argued that its wording disguised its effect on public coffers.

Removing the sales taxes on food and over-the-counter medicine would cut $200 million to $500 million from state, county and city budgets, estimates show.