High Court to Rule on Sales Tax Vote

Worried state and local governments are looking to the Arkansas Supreme Court to block a vote on a popular ballot measure that would eliminate the state’s sales tax on food and medicine. The state’s highest court could rule this week.

Polls show widespread support for the measure, sponsored by the Libertarian Party, which backers say would wipe out a regressive levy that falls hardest on the poor. Opponents, however, say it would gut funding to run much of state and local government, because it makes no provision for replacing lost revenue.