Proposal Would Create Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday

Legislation is moving along that would create a sales tax holiday for school supplies next year. This week, the Ohio senate approved legislation that would set aside the first weekend of August 2015, for families doing back-to-school shopping to take advantage of a sales tax exemption. It covers school supplies and materials up to 20 dollars per item, and clothes up to 75 dollars per item. The bill was penned by Republican State Senator Kevin Bacon, who represents part of Franklin County around Columbus. He expects the sales tax exemption to create a “Black Friday” type of excitement that would benefit retailers…and help families. "School and clothing supplies, it’s very expensive for a family to start off the school year. And for many people, that expense really, really saps a lot of badly needed resources," Bacon told WCPN last year. The National Retail Federation says on average, families spent $670 on school supplies this year for grades K through 12. A University of Cincinnati study estimated that Ohio’s sales tax exemption will save those same families $38 The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.