It’s August, with autumn looming, and that means something bad is happening. No, not Brett Favre scheming for attention. The bad thing is the spectacle of state governments from Texas to Vermont trying to buy off voters with their own money.
It’s an annual ritual known as the sales tax holiday, which lets consumers make certain government-approved purchases without remitting the usual levy to the Department of Revenue. According to the Tax Foundation, 18 states will hold these events in 2010. The gimmick usually is deployed this time of year so that parents can save on school supplies and clothing.
In spite of the “back-to-school” label, you don't necessarily have to be a student or the parent of one to get the break. A colleague of mine used the opportunity to buy her husband a pair of golf shirts. That's because Illinois extends the preferred treatment to most clothing and shoes under $100.
Full story: A Holiday from Fiscal Responsibility – Reason Magazine