Students in Alabama are heading back to school soon, and their families will get some help getting them ready.
This weekend is the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday. This means sales taxes will not be charged on items needed to get kids ready for school.
Melissa Warnke is the spokeswoman for the Alabama Retail Association. She says only the four percent state sales tax is guaranteed to be removed, but many cities and counties are also participating…
“This year there is the most cities and counties that have ever participated. It's well over 300 cities and counties. So there is a lot of participation and excitement from the cities and counties because they know it is a big shopping weekend overall for their communities.”
Warnke says the sales tax holiday is a major benefit to families with multiple children needing clothes or school uniforms. Birmingham City Schools announced earlier this week they are doing away with the mandatory school uniforms, which may mean a need for new school clothes.
Also, Warnke says some of the items included in the holiday might be a surprise to consumers, like diapers, which qualify as a clothing item. All clothing items $100 or less per item, school supplies $50 or less per item, books $30 or less per item qualify.
Electronics like tablets and desktop and laptop computers also qualify, provided they're $750 or less per item.
The sales tax holiday runs until midnight Sunday. For a full list of applicable items visit the Alabama Retail Association’s website.