Back-to-school tax holiday offers breaks on wedding dresses, but not baseball cleats
Wisconsin offers its first back-to-school sales tax holiday through Sunday, but people can save on more than pencils and school clothes.
Billed as a way to give people a break on back-to-school shopping, the tax exemption includes some quirky items, from diapers to wedding dresses to steel-toed shoes. But sports equipment and school art supplies still will be taxed.
Through Sunday, certain items are exempt from the 5 percent Wisconsin sales tax, as well as local sales taxes. The one-time holiday was established as a part of a tax package introduced by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker that also included a $100 per-child tax rebate.
Items that get the tax savings are listed on the state's website, www.revenue.wi.gov.
Among them:
• Clothing priced up to $75 per item.
• Computers purchased for personal use and priced at up to $750 per item.
• School computer supplies, purchased for personal use, priced at up to $250 per item.
• School supplies priced at up to $75 per item.
There is no limit to how many times shoppers go to the cash register. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue estimates the holiday will save consumers - and cost the state treasury - almost $15 million.
Other items on the tax-exempt list are bathing suits, earmuffs, ties and slippers.
Still taxed are cellular phones and cases, watches, jewelry, sunglasses and umbrellas.
Walker has said his goal for the tax rebate and the sales tax holiday is to provide families with extra cash heading into the new school year. Online orders are also exempt from the sales tax, officials say.