Many back-to-school shoppers have circled this weekend on their kitchen calendars. The state legislature, in a family-friendly move, approved the second back-to-school sales tax holiday for Aug. 1-3.
Clothing and shoes, costing less than $100 per item, are exempt from state and city taxes. Retail sales last year were up $100 million over the previous year and state sales tax revenues were actually up $4.6 million for the month of August.
Locally, chambers of commerce have promoted the tax-free weekend even before the state sanctioned it. Some stores were giving discounts of more than the tax in order to encourage shopping on more than school clothes, supplies and shoes.
The state holiday was competing with Texas' tax-free weekend. Texans have moved theirs later in the month. The bill's author, Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, said Texans and Kansans were spotted sneaking across the border last year to shop.
