Tax Free Weekend

I do not know when it started, nor where it started, but the State of Texas has adopted the practice of having a tax-free weekend in August to help families prepare for school. Clothing, shoes, and backpack items less than $100 dollars are exempt from state and local use tax.

Additionally, the State of Texas has recently included school supplies under $100, purchased by individuals (not businesses, unless they have an exempt certificate) in the tax free status.

This can be quite a savings, of usually about $8 on the hundred, for families with many children, or even one child.

Because it is difficult to screen for use, many non-students benefit from this weekend.  Whether or not that is right, it happens. 

This was tax free weekend in Texas.  I was shopping late Saturday afternoon, and it was sort of crazy in the store:  lots of crying children, people stopping in the middle of the aisle without regard for the fact they were blocking traffic on either side of them, full parking lots, scarce shopping carts, and security being extra careful... Normally, the cashiers do not bag things like multipaks of soda, but today they did.  It made sense:  bagged items were cashed out and payed for, but non-bagged items were suspect.  Entering and leaving the store, the "greeter" was stopping and watching people with non-bagged items, checking everything very carefully... The increased traffic in stores makes security more difficult, and shoplifting easier...