If you purchase an uncooked pizza that was prepared some place other than the store where you buy it, you won’t be charged sales tax. It’s the same for a frozen pizza you buy in a supermarket. But if you buy an uncooked pizza that was prepared fresh in the store where you buy it, you must pay sales tax.

Sen. Marko Liias, who represents the 21st District, disagrees with this and he wants to fix it.

Liias’ Senate Bill 5861 would eliminate the sales tax on pizzas prepared fresh in the stores where you buy them.

“There’s no logical rationale for this tax,” Liias said. “If you don’t pay tax on frozen pizzas or uncooked pizzas prepared at other sites from where you buy them, why pay tax on locally made, unfrozen pizzas you buy and bake at home?”

He noted that existing law benefits out-of-state companies while penalizing local businesses and customers like those of Tony McNulty, a constituent who owns Papa Murphy’s stores in Mukilteo and Monroe.

“I am happy that Marko approached me about introducing this proposal,” McNulty said. “It is welcome news when your senator calls you up and says he wants to help level the playing field for small business owners.”

“In both cases, the customer is buying an uncooked pizza and baking it at home. Why should Tony’s customers pay more for a locally prepared pizza than for a pizza prepared nowhere near here?” Liias said. “Our local pizza businesses and their customers deserve a level playing field.”