Heather Hart will finish her daughter’s school shopping this weekend because of the sales tax holiday, which make clothes, book bags, and other school essentials cheaper this weekend.
“We might as well shop more today when supplies are cheaper,” Ms. Hart, a Stride Rite customer, said. “I think families will be able to save money and can try to do their shopping all in one weekend.
Ohio stores had their first day of Ohio’s annual tax break for back-to-school shopping on Friday. Many stores experienced increased customer traffic and sales, though some reported smaller increases than those of earlier years.
For the past five years, the General Assembly approved on a year-to-year basis the weekend-long sales tax suspension for specific school items. Last year, lawmakers permanently placed the “tax holiday” on Ohio’s calendar.
“We’re definitely thrilled that it became something permanent that we can look forward to every year,” Joy Findley, JCPenney’s Franklin Park Mall general store manager, said.
Many popular items for JCPenney during the tax holiday include shoes, book bags, and uniforms. Eligible items have been marked with blue signs throughout the store. Other stores, such as School Matters, sold more polo shirts than usual, Evelyn Robinson, School Matters owner, said.
Clothing and shoes costing $75 or less and school supplies or instructional materials priced at $20 or less are eligible for the sales-tax waiver that expires at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Tom Curavo, Stride Rite shoe store owner, said customers save between $6 and 7 on average in his store during the tax holiday.
Smaller increases in sales can be attributed to less novelty in the holiday compared to the first few years.
“We had a very, very big turnout our first year. Our next year it wasn’t quite as big,” Ms. Findley said. “In comparison to last year, though, we’re looking right about even.”
The sales tax in Lucas County is 7.25 percent.
“It’s a big deal,” Evangelina Downour, a JCPenney shopper, said. “It is going to help a lot of families that normally can’t afford to buy all these clothes and pay all these taxes. Anything that can help families that are in need of needing that little extra help, why not?”
First Published August 2, 2019, 10:52 p.m.
