TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The statement below regarding the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which begins Sat., July 31 and ends Mon., Aug. 9, is to be attributed to Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. To learn more and/or schedule an interview with President and CEO Calabro, please contact Aly Coleman at [email protected] or 850.391.5040.
“Florida TaxWatch encourages parents to use the upcoming Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday as an opportunity to engage their children in shopping for clothes and supplies, exciting them about returning to the classroom after a stressful school year that, as noted in our recent report, Beyond the Pandemic: Long-Term Changes and Challenges for K-12 Education in Florida, certainly took a toll on both their learning experience and their mental health.
“From an economic perspective, parents should also take advantage of this tax cut because it will save them a perceptible amount of money – approximately $69.4 million* in total – which could help those facing financial constraints.
“We commend Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson, House Speaker Chris Sprowls, and the legislature for ensuring this benefit was made available to Florida families once again, especially this year.”
*According to Governor DeSantis’ Florida Leads the Nation State Overview and Taxes document, the $169 million tax cut package in Florida’s Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget includes funding for three sales tax holidays:
· A 10-day Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday (May 28-June 6, 2021) to Save Florida Families $10.5 million – The holiday covers items needed during disasters including generators priced at $1,000 or less
· A 7-day Freedom Week Sales Tax Holiday (July 1-7, 2021) to Save Florida Families $54.7 million – The holiday covers certain outdoor recreation purchases, such as the first $100 of the sales price of sunglasses, the first $200 of the sales price of tents, and the first $500 of the sales price of kayaks or canoes, as well as tickets for events, museums, the arts, and more
· A 10-day Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday (July 31-Aug. 9, 2021) to Save Florida Families $69.4 million – The holiday covers clothing up to $60, school supplies up to $15, and the first $1,000 of a computer