INDIANAPOLIS – Legislative fiscal leaders considered a uniform law Wednesday that would allow counties and municipalities to adopt their own food and beverage tax. 

But restaurants pushed back against the idea, which could be considered in the 2016 legislative session.

Right now, individual counties or communities come to the legislature seeking permission for local elected officials to adopt a food and beverage tax. Each request requires a special bill to be passed by lawmakers.

The Interim Committee on Fiscal Policy received a report Wednesday showing that 13 counties and 14 municipalities levy the tax. Most of them are at 1 percent, though Marion County and Orange County are at 2 percent.

In all, $87 million was collected in food and beverage taxes in fiscal year 2015. Allen County collected more than $7 million.

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