Workers at Autozone Just Formed a Union - TVLR 10/3/26

Uh, wanted to talk a little bit about taxes.

Uh, I know taxes can be an unpopular subject for a lot of folks.

Uh, we often hear about tax relief, uh, you know, and tax burdens.

Uh, and taxes have been a really popular conversation among candidates this year.

Uh, you know, coming up, uh, in almost one month, or yeah, around a month from now, uh, in November, uh, we have huge midterm elections, obviously.

Everyone knows about that.

Congress is up for election.

Uh, but we also have a lot of local and state races, uh, coming up in November, uh, including governor of Alabama, uh, where Tommy Tuberville, who is our sitting, uh, senator, is running against former Senator Doug Jones.

And, uh, something that's been interesting is that a lot of candidates from both parties, uh, Democrats and Republicans, are talking about cutting the grocery tax here in Alabama.

Uh, now that's been a longstanding debate in the state.

Uh, there have been legislators for years trying to get the grocery tax r- uh, removed or at least reduced.

Uh, and in, in the last few years, there has been some progress, right? Uh, it has been cut in half, uh, from four percent to two percent, uh, with bipartisan support.

So that's been interesting to see, uh, because Alabama is one of just a handful of states that still taxes groceries.

Uh, I believe it's around nine states at this point, uh, that are still taxing groceries.

Uh, for those of you outside of Alabama, uh, you may not know that, uh, we have really, really high sales taxes, uh, especially when you factor in not just the state sales taxes, but local county, uh, sales taxes as well.

You know, Alabama has this really, uh, you know, precarious position of being highly regressive in its tax structure, uh, meaning it, you know, disproportionately raises money from the poorest and lowest incomes.

Uh, but also, and connected to that, Alabama raises the least amount of revenue of any state in the country, uh, once you factor in gaming, lottery, those kind of, uh, revenues.

So Most folks that you talk to support ending the grocery tax, right? Food is an essential item.

We all have to eat, and it falls disproportionately on working people, poor f-folks, people with limited incomes, right? Uh, if you're going to the grocery store, you know that prices continue to go up.

And while cost of living and affordability, you know, is a big conversation in the debate right now, we are missing some things there.

We can't just focus on prices.

But, you know, nevertheless, prices are going up, right? We know everything's costing more, including food.

And so cutting the grocery tax is a really popular thing.

It's e-uh, exciting to see candidates from, you know, both parties supporting it.

Uh, you know, a couple things to note.

Uh, wanted to talk a little bit about taxes.

Uh, I know taxes can be an unpopular subject for a lot of folks.

Uh, we often hear about tax relief, uh, you know, and tax burdens.

Uh, and taxes have been a really popular conversation among candidates this year.

Uh, you know, coming up, uh, in almost one month, or yeah, around a month from now, uh, in November, uh, we have huge midterm elections, obviously.

Everyone knows about that.

Congress is up for election.

Uh, but we also have a lot of local and state races, uh, coming up in November, uh, including governor of Alabama, uh, where Tommy Tuberville, who is our sitting, uh, senator, is running against former Senator Doug Jones.

And, uh, something that's been interesting is that a lot of candidates from both parties, uh, Democrats and Republicans, are talking about cutting the grocery tax here in Alabama.

Uh, now that's been a longstanding debate in the state.

Uh, there have been legislators for years trying to get the grocery tax r- uh, removed or at least reduced.

Uh, and in, in the last few years, there has been some progress, right? Uh, it has been cut in half, uh, from four percent to two percent, uh, with bipartisan support.

So that's been interesting to see, uh, because Alabama is one of just a handful of states that still taxes groceries.

Uh, I believe it's around nine states at this point, uh, that are still taxing groceries.

Uh, for those of you outside of Alabama, uh, you may not know that, uh, we have really, really high sales taxes, uh, especially when you factor in not just the state sales taxes, but local county, uh, sales taxes as well.

You know, Alabama has this really, uh, you know, precarious position of being highly regressive in its tax structure, uh, meaning it, you know, disproportionately raises money from the poorest and lowest incomes.

Uh, but also, and connected to that, Alabama raises the least amount of revenue of any state in the country, uh, once you factor in gaming, lottery, those kind of, uh, revenues.

So Most folks that you talk to support ending the grocery tax, right? Food is an essential item.

We all have to eat, and it falls disproportionately on working people, poor f-folks, people with limited incomes, right? Uh, if you're going to the grocery store, you know that prices continue to go up.

And while cost of living and affordability, you know, is a big conversation in the debate right now, we are missing some things there.

We can't just focus on prices.

But, you know, nevertheless, prices are going up, right? We know everything's costing more, including food.

And so cutting the grocery tax is a really popular thing.

It's e-uh, exciting to see candidates from, you know, both parties supporting it.

Uh, you know, a couple things to note.