Back-to-school bargain!

Parents in Virginia have reason to smile — other than the fact that their kids will be soon be out of the house and they may have a sliver of parental peace.

Virginia’s General Assembly has crafted a back-to-school tax holiday for the weekend of Aug. 4. This is the second year in a row that shoppers will be spared the 5 percent sales tax on supplies priced up to $20 an item and clothes and shoes worth up to $100. The Virginia Department of Taxation is expecting shoppers to save $3.8M this year, according to a recent AP article.

Shoppers in Maryland’s southern neighbor also get a four-day tax break in October for certain energy-efficient appliances AND a weeklong tax timeout starting in May 2008 for hurricane preparedness equipment. Information on all three tax holidays can be found here.

Following suit, D.C. will eliminate its sales tax for nine days, starting Aug. 4, on school supplies, clothing and shoes.

All this begs the question: Doesn’t the Free State deserve a tax-free holiday??

-FRANCIS SMITH, Special Publications Assistant Editor