2nd Annual Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Mechanicsville, VA – Del. Christopher K. Peace (R-Mechanicsville) reminds citizens of the upcoming Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, to be held from Friday August 3 through Sunday August 5, 2007. The weekend of sales tax-free purchases on specific school-related items was first initiated by the House Republican Caucus in the summer of 2005. House Bill 532, patroned by the late Delegate Harry Parrish (R-Manassas), was overwhelmingly passed by the General Assembly during the 2006 session and signed into law by Governor Timothy M. Kaine that same year.
The first Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday in 2006 was widely popular, saving Virginians an estimate $3.6 million. Helping to offset the rising costs of school items – estimated to tally over $500 per family – state sales taxes will not be charged on school supplies priced at $20 or less per item, or on articles of clothing, including footwear, costing up to $100.
Delegate Peace and his fellow House Republicans have continuously advocated that the holiday also apply to computers. Because computers and related equipment can be a major expense for working families, Peace supports efforts to press for their inclusion in the 2008 session.
“Quality education is essential to our strength as a Commonwealth. The very cornerstones of our future social and economic health rest with the minds and talents of the people,†stated Peace. “Providing Virginia families with this much-needed break is important to maintaining our high quality of life. And, encouraging families to shop Virginia first gives an added boost to our job-creating retailers and economy.â€
Individual retailers may choose to pay the sales tax themselves on any nonexempt items during the holiday, passing the savings on to their customers. Additional information on the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is online from the Virginia Department of Taxation at http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=STHoliday .