There will be no tax-free weekend for Georgia this year. State legislators chose not to renew the Tax Free Holiday this year in an effort to reduce Georgia's large budget deficit.
Typically the tax-free weekend occurs in the late summer, in preparation for children back to school. The tax exemptions include clothing, electronics and other educational supplies. The tax break, which has been a yearly event since 2002, is said to have cost the state around $12 million in lost revenue, something they can simply no longer afford.
Some feel that abolishing the tax free weekend is in everyone's best interest, asserting that funds can be used for causes with a long-term benefit like hiring more teachers. Others feel that its better to encourage spending with local retailers while keeping some money (albeit a very small 6.5%) in consumer's pockets. What do you think?
Comments
I think the tax needs to be cut in much more inefficient places like fat political budgets. Not renewing it this year has made our decision to shop elsewhere this year. We’ll just go over the state line and shop in Tennessee or Alabama of which they will observe their dates Aug 6-8 respectively. Bad move, Georgia.
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ga should do it would make things easier for single parents
I think ga should do it to make things easier for parents. We could buy more if there weren’t taxes. By not having a tax free weekend, all it causes is us to go over state lines to buy or school clothes and supplies and not buy them in ga. Either way ga isn’t getting the revenue. They need to reinstate the tax free weekend.