State's tax-free weekend may be taxing

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By Trisha Evans
Published: August 2, 2007

This weekend will mark Oklahoma's first tax-free weekend, just in time for back-to-school shopping.

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But be warned, not everything on your list is tax free.

Some items not exempt

•School supplies, for example, are not exempt. That means items such as pencils, crayons and paper are not included.

•The rules don't include handbags, jewelry, luggage, umbrellas, watches and other accessories, said Paula Ross, communications director for the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

•While sneakers and basketball shoes under $100 are tax exempt, other athletic footwear such as football and baseball cleats are not.

Some exempt items

•Diapers.

•Scarves.

•Baby blankets.

•Coats.

•Steel-toed boots.

•Wedding apparel.

"I think that it's going to be a little bit confusing this year because it's the first year,” said Penn Square Mall marketing director Janette Smith.

"Hopefully there's not going to be any hiccups.”

To ensure the three-day tax holiday, Friday through Sunday, goes smoothly, Penn Square Mall sent lists of rules and items to all its merchants and will provide shoppers with similar lists at its guest services counter, Smith said.

Rules about discounts, sales and coupons could be even trickier for consumers.

The savings
Despite the rules, Oklahomans are expected to collectively save $6.4 million this weekend, Ross said.

Retailers, too, are expected to cash in from the extra shoppers.

During the past few years, Oklahoma retailers adopted their own version of tax-free sales to prevent people from crossing the border to shop in Gainesville or Dallas during Texas' tax-free weekend.

Likewise, the new law is intended to keep retail dollars in the state, said Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore.

Deeper discounts?
The law requires all retailers to participate, but some are offering bigger sales to entice shoppers.

The Norman Chamber of Commerce is promoting deeper discounts and an extra day of shopping with its "Tax Free – Plus” weekend, today through Sunday.

Several Oklahoma malls are offering extended hours this weekend to accommodate the traffic.


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Haha Larry! So true. I'm already getting a mental image of the hell that this weekend will be with shoppers thinking that everything is...um... exempt and then finding out it's not exempt and then getting mad and then clerks trying to calm people down... while handing out lists of exempt and nonexempt items. I would pay an additional tax to NOT have to shop this weekend.
L, Midwest City - Aug 2, 2007 3:23 PM
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u call it a tax free weekend, make it across the board (cars, boats, groceries, etc).

the way it is detailed is misleading and pretty stupid.
b, norman - Aug 2, 2007 3:17 PM
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Could this be the most confusing story EVER on the front page of the State's newspaper? YES. Why not just say---YOU WILL PAY SALES TAX ON and YOU WON"T PAY SALES TAX ON---instead of the confusing exempt and not exempt. Exempt from the list of items, exempt from sales tax---WHAT DOES IT MEAN? This is too inside government baseball---isn't the official language of The Oklahoman still ENGLISH?
Larry, Edmond - Aug 2, 2007 2:58 PM
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TAX FREE WEEKEND (but only on a few items that will probably not make that big of a difference to you anyway but it is a good sales pitch to get to come to out the stores to spend money and the state of OK will still receive tax benefits because your also going to buy items that are not eligible for the tax-free benefit).
I'm an OK native living in Las Vegas, read about this on-line, and my first thought was how stupid. Granted I do not have all the details, but what a waste. Who (or whom) ever thought of this with all the restrictions should be held accountable, but I'd bet they are in Texas shopping.
mark, las vegas - Aug 2, 2007 2:51 PM
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wedding apparel for back to school??? why not include a coffin as well.
John, Talihina - Aug 2, 2007 2:37 PM
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Talk about a messed up list of exemptions and non-exemptions. If I were going to do the bulk of my shopping because of this tax free event I would go to Texas simply because I find it ludicrous I cannot buy my children's actual school supplies tax free but I could stock up on baby diapers? Who the heck needs baby diapers tax free for back to school?
Jan, Norman - Aug 2, 2007 11:27 AM
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so, you can't buy football or baseball cleats, but you can buy a wedding dress??? i agree with Fred, if this is really BACK TO SCHOOL it should include everything a student needs for school. i fail to see where steel toed boots and a wedding appearal fits into that picture.
patti, el reno - Aug 2, 2007 9:56 AM
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If it's going to benefit Oklahoma, it should include all school supplies and clothing for students. I would still go to Texas for those items if needed.
Pat, Burlington - Aug 2, 2007 9:42 AM
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I feel if you are going to call the tax free weekend BACK TO SCHOOL Tax Free weekend then everything a child uses in school should be tax free. This would be helping alot of families that are on a tight budget.
Fred, Fort Cobb - Aug 2, 2007 8:02 AM
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