Local government: taxation: prohibition: groceries.

Existing law authorizes counties, cities, and other local agencies to impose various taxes and fees in connection with activity or property within those jurisdictions. The California Constitution also authorizes a charter city to levy local taxes to raise revenues for local purposes, subject to restrictions imposed by that city's charter or preemption in matters of statewide concern. The Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law authorizes counties and cities to impose a local sales and use tax in accordance with that law for tangible personal property sold at retail in the county or city, or purchased for storage, use, or other consumption in the county or city. That law requires the county or city to contract with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for the administration of the taxes and requires the department to transmit those taxes to the city or county. Existing law, until January 1, 2031, prohibits the imposition, increase, levy and collection, or enforcement by a local agency of any tax, fee, or other assessment on groceries, except as provided, and allows a local agency to continue to levy and collect, enforce, or reauthorize any tax, fee, or other assessment on groceries imposed, extended, or increased on or before January 1, 2018. Existing law also requires the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to cease administering the Bradley-Burns local sales and use tax of a local agency that is found by a court, as provided, to have violated the grocery tax prohibition. This bill would repeal the prohibition on the imposition, increase, levy and collection, or enforcement by a local agency of any tax, fee, or other assessment on groceries, including the requirement that the department cease administering a local sales and use tax.