Sales Tax Holiday Has Chutzpah

Adding another holiday (um, Evacuation Day?) to the calendar, the State Legislature is on the way to approving a day off for sales tax in the Commonwealth again this year. Last year, consumers went wild, spending $400 million on the one sales-tax-free day in August. The proposed bill was set to win approval and would have established this year's tax free day on August 13, but it has been amended to include August 14, the Sunday of that weekend.

Massachusetts retailers were happy last year to have sales boosted before the usual Christmas shopping season and to boost the bottom line before summer's end. This year, with an extension of the holiday to Sunday, they may gain access to the pockets of observant Jews in Massachusetts, and both merchants and consumers are receptive. A few complaints came into the state last year from businesses that are traditionally closed on Saturdays to observe the Jewish Sabbath, which lasts from Friday’s sundown to Saturday’s sundown. The State House had already approved the bill, making Saturday a sales tax holiday. The State Senate didn’t simply approve the bill as it was expected, but amended it to expand the tax holiday to the entire weekend, as sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem. The bill is still pending, but is expected to gain approval, amendment and all. Way to go Massachusetts, chalk this win up to decreasing discrimination. And go buy yourself a pair of shoes, tax free.