Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Texas House OKs Adding School Supplies to Tax Holiday
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
atinsley@star-telegram.com
Texas families may get a sales tax break on some school supplies and backpacks, in addition to clothes, this year under a proposal cleared by the state House on Wednesday.
In a move that would help taxpayers but could cost the state $9.5 million in sales tax revenue, House members passed a measure that adds school supplies to the list of items that are not taxed during the annual sales tax holiday.
“Texas families work hard to provide their children with the best possible education,” said Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, a chief author of the bill.
The sales tax holiday is Aug. 21-23.
“With backpacks and school uniforms, it’s very expensive to get kids back into school,” said Rep. Paula Pierson, D-Arlington, one of several North Texans co-authoring the bill. “Any help we can give in these tough economic times is good.”
This bill now heads to the Senate.
“By exempting taxes on school supplies, we are helping hardworking families place their children on the path to success,” said Rep. Mark Shelton, R-Fort Worth.
Other North Texans co-authoring this bill include Reps. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, Phil King, R-Weatherford, and Chris Turner, D-Burleson.
Several other bills on the sales tax holiday are pending. Burnam personally has two other bills: One, close to going to the House floor, would add Labor Day to periods when the sale of some energy-efficient appliances is tax-free; a second, in committee, would create a sales tax exemption for certain energy-efficient appliances if the products were bought by a person receiving food stamps or services under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, R-Parker, has a bill in committee proposing a state constitutional amendment to transfer some surplus state revenue into a special fund to help support sales tax holidays.
And Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, has a bill in committee to create a sales tax exemption for Energy Star-qualified computers sold for less than $1,000 during the sales tax holiday for energy-efficient products each May.
This year’s Energy Star sales tax holiday, when Texas shoppers get a break from sales taxes on certain energy-efficient products, is May 23-25. Air conditioners priced under $6,000, ceiling fans, refrigerators and light bulbs are among the items that qualify for the exemption.
ANNA M. TINSLEY, 817-390-7610
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