Many shoppers, especially parents who need to buy children's clothes and school supplies for the new school year, can take advantage of this year's tax-free weekend today and Sunday on specific items.
"The tax-free weekend helps build the future of our area by allowing children to start their school year well supplied and ready for education. It's really hard to gain literacy proficiency or get your graduation rate going if you arrive at school without the proper supplies," said Jane Browning, executive director of the United Way of Garland County.
In conjunction with the tax-free weekend, the United Way's Stuff the Bus campaign began Friday and continues from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at area Wal-Mart locations. A United Way handout notes that 30 percent of children in Garland County are in poverty and donations help provide them with new school supplies.
"It also damages a child's self-esteem when all the other kids have new stuff and all those good things, and they don't have what they need on that first day of school," Browning said.
Browning said Lake Hamilton and Lakeside school districts have started providing supplies for the initial month of school, "but even in their cases, they welcome the donation of school supplies for when that first pack of crayons wears out or that first pencil breaks."
"You need to have supplies in November and December, too. School counselors keep a backup set of provisions for even those kids who purchase their supplies to start the school year. So they can still use donations of supplies," she said.
"I saw an announcement yesterday that states the cost of school supplies has increased 85 percent over the last 15 years or so. It's about $2,000 per student for a family nowadays," she said.
In addition to the basic school supplies, certain clothing items can be included in the tax-free holiday.
According to the Arkansas Sales Tax Holiday rules, clothing means an item of human wearing apparel suitable for general use for which the gross receipts or gross proceeds paid for the item of clothing is less than $100.
A noninclusive list shows clothing items can include belts and suspenders, athletic supporters, boots, coats and jackets, ear muffs, footlets, gloves and mittens, hats and caps, hosiery, insoles for shoes, neckties, overshoes, pantyhose, rainwear, sandals, scarves, shoes and shoe laces, sneakers, socks and stockings, underwear, and athletic and nonathletic uniforms.
Some items that are not clothing include belt buckles sold separately, patches and emblems sold separately, protective equipment, sewing equipment, and sport or recreational equipment.
The tax-free holiday rules state that clothing accessories or equipment means an incidental item worn on the person or in conjunction with clothing for which the gross receipts or gross proceeds paid for the item is less than $50.
Examples of clothing accessories or equipment includes briefcases, cosmetics, hair notions, handbags, handkerchiefs, jewelry, nonprescription sun glasses, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and wigs and hair pieces.
Cosmetics include articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.
"It's a great shopping weekend and if the crowds at Wal-Mart on Friday were an indication, people are taking advantage," Browning said.
Local on 08/01/2015