A top retail-industry official is optimistic businesses will get a boost when Florida for the first time offers a back-to-school tax “holiday” as students return from the winter break.
At the same time, Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley acknowledges being somewhat apprehensive that the tax-free shopping period on clothes, school supplies and personal computers could get lost in the crowd of holidays as the calendar turns to 2024.
“It's certainly a fair concern,” Shalley replied to a question from The News Service of Florida. “It is right on the heels of the holidays, but we hope folks will be out trying to take advantage of sales in other areas. This will just be an added opportunity.”
The tax holiday will start Monday and continue through Jan. 14. It is similar to the back-to-school holidays that Florida has long offered during the summer, including this year.
“This being new, we are hoping that people will get out and take advantage of the savings opportunities in the start of the new year,” Shalley said. “We are going to see many retailers have sales of their own to piggyback.”
State economists have projected that the two back-to-school holidays this fiscal year will cut state revenue by $126.8 million and local-government revenue by $33.8 million.
While the results won’t be determined for a couple of months, as receipts are finalized, Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed again holding two back-to-school holidays during the 2024-2025 fiscal year. That proposal is tied to his $114.4 billion budget recommendation, which lawmakers will consider during the session that starts Jan. 9.
Included in the tax holiday that starts Monday:
- Shoppers won’t have to pay sales taxes on clothes, wallets, bags, backpacks, fanny packs, shoes and diaper bags that cost $100 or less.
- Shoppers won’t have to pay sales taxes on pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, staplers, staples, protractors, compasses and calculators that cost $50 or less.
- Shoppers won’t have to pay sales taxes on learning aids and puzzles, such as flashcards, memory games and toys intended to teach reading or math skills, that cost $30 or less.
- Shoppers won’t have to pay sales taxes on personal computers and related accessories — such as keyboards and monitors — that cost $1,500 or less. Not included are such things as cell phones and video game consoles.
