Tax-free holiday helps shoppers stretch a dollar

Published 4:39 pm Tuesday, August 2, 2016

A dollar will stretch a little farther in Butler County next weekend.

That’s because Butler County, the City of Greenville and the City of Georgiana are joining with the state to exempt certain school supplies and clothing from sales tax between 12:01 a.m. Aug. 5 and midnight Aug. 7 as part of Alabama’s annual sales tax holiday.

“This is an opportunity for us to tell the citizens of Greenville thank you for shopping locally,” Mayor Dexter McLendon said.

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Butler County, Greenville and Georgiana have participated in the sales tax holiday since its inception in 2006.

Each county and municipality in Alabama decides if it will waive local sales tax, collect a portion or not participate in the sales-tax-free weekend. Retailers are required to participate and may not charge tax on items that are legally tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday.

The exemption covers clothing items less than $100, school supplies, books, computers and computer equipment.

For more information on which items are covered by the sales tax holiday visit www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax.

Shoppers can also take advantage of the weekend to help local schools.

The   Butler County Education Retirees Association is holding its annual “Fill-The Bus” campaign at Walmart during the state’s sales tax-free weekend.

The organization is collecting school supplies for, teachers, school nurses and students in the public schools in Butler County for 2016-2017 school year.

For more information on the “Fill the Bus” campaign call Geraldine Campbell Feagin, event chairperson, at 382-8585.