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Ohio offers tax-free holiday

MARIETTA – Ohio is observing a tax-free holiday on clothing and school supplies for the first time through Sunday.

Under a bill passed by Gov. John Kasich earlier this year, a one-time, three-day sales tax holiday took effect Friday and will continue through midnight Sunday.

From jeans to notebooks and every ruler and sweatshirt in between, families with school children and teachers are preparing to take advantage of the tax break while retailers and officials expect the possibility of an influx in sales.

“Hopefully it will spur some more sales for local vendors, because even if people have already done their shopping, maybe they’ll take the three days to get some more,” said Washington County Commissioner Rick Walters. “Maybe kids can get an extra shirt or something that they might not have gotten before because of the discount.”

According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, included items are exempt from sales and use tax beginning Friday.

The exemptions include clothing priced at $75 per item or less, school supplies priced at $20 per item or less and school instructional material priced at $20 per item or less.

“Back to school shopping is a huge expense, and it seems like the older they get, the more expensive it is,” said Sandy Lamm, of Newport, who has children in the Frontier Local school district. “I think it’s about the only positive thing I have seen Ohio do of late as far as education and school.”

Officials are hoping the holiday can drive in business from neighboring states. Ohio is the only midwestern state out of 18 states that has the tax holiday. West Virginia also does not have a tax holiday.

“I buy a lot of stuff on my own, like pencil cases and other more fun things for the kids,” said Sarah Bennett, a second-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary Center in Parkersburg. “That could really help us out. Why would I buy all of that in (West Virginia) if I can come and get it here with the savings?”

Bennett is one of many West Virginia teachers who travels to Ohio to buy materials from A-Z Learning Supplies in Marietta, and officials are hoping more out-of-state families and teachers will follow suit even more with the holiday.

“I would definitely come back and do more shopping this weekend,” Bennett said. “We get some money for paper, pencils, but we still buy more stuff for kids with our own money.”

A-Z Learning Supplies is not doing anything in particular to prepare for the weekend, but is hoping to benefit.

“This is our biggest time so we’re constantly gearing up for business,” said owner Bobbi Davis. “I think the tax will help; I’m certainly hoping it will increase business.”

The business has teaching supplies rather than just the traditional school supplies that families often look for at grocery or office supply stores.

“Teachers come in a lot at this time of year, but we do get lots of parents, too, and our business really starts gearing up after the July 4 holiday,” Davis said. “There are (teachers) here spending their own money, so we’re hoping to benefit from it.”

Jo Anne Huck, a fourth-grade teacher at Phillips Elementary, said unfortunately, many teachers get their shopping done much earlier.

“I wish I had waited for the tax holiday to buy materials for my class,” she said. “Teachers spend a lot of money for their classrooms, and any breaks are appreciated.”

There are limitations to the exemptions, however, that the department of taxation is trying to clear up.

The tax break applies regardless of whether the purchases are made in-store, online or by mail, and Ohioans can make purchases in other states but declare those purchases on their income tax returns.

The exemption does not include laptops, purses or sports equipment, even if they’re used for activities that happen during school time.

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