Valuable break for Missouri families

To the editor:

The back-to-school shopping season is fast approaching. Families will once again get to save up to 9 percent at the cash register during the Missouri sales-tax holiday set for Aug. 4 to 6. Thanks to 2005 legislation I was proud to sponsor in the Missouri Senate, the tax holiday is an annual fixture.

Back-to-school supplies, such as clothes, backpacks and computers, will be exempted from state sales tax, which is currently 4.225 percent. Local governments have the option of rescinding their city and county sales taxes too.

A family that in the past has spent $400 on shoes, clothing, backpacks and other school supplies can save over $35 if they purchase these items during the sales-tax holiday. Consumers purchasing a $3,500 laptop computer during the holiday can save as much as $315.

Although some cities and counties have chosen not to exempt their local taxes during the 2006 holiday, past tax holidays have proven a success for participating communities. According to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, sales-tax revenue losses were made up by retail sales of non-exempt merchandise, restaurant and gasoline sales and the additional revenue created by people crossing the state border to take advantage of the tax exemption.

Making sure our children are prepared for a new school year can drain the resources of families. I'm proud that Missouri is trying to help alleviate the financial burden while stimulating business sales for our communities during the sales tax holiday.

JASON CROWELL, State Senator, 27th District,

Cape Girardeau