To the editor:

In a recent letter to the editor, a reader lamented the fact that the state of Kansas still imposes a sales tax on store-bought food items.

Twenty-five years ago, after I moved to Lawrence from New York City, where food items are not taxed, I was shocked to learn that Kansas had this regressive tax. To its shame, Kansas is one of the few states left that still imposes this tax.

Over the years, I have phoned and written to our legislators asking them to consider removing the tax on food, to no avail. During a recent meeting with Rep. Barbara Ballard, when I brought up eliminating the food tax, Rep Ballard, although sympathetic, told me that every time the subject had come up, there was “no desire” to eliminate the food tax because the state cannot “afford” to lose that much revenue.