Locals say they were wrongly taxed during sales tax holiday

(WKBN) — With Ohio’s sales tax holiday underway, a few local residents have told First News they’ve been incorrectly charged sales tax on items that should be tax-free.

This year, the holiday was expanded — starting last Tuesday and ending this Thursday. It runs longer than in years past and includes more tax-free items.

Most items $500 or less are supposed to be tax-free, as opposed to previous years when it was limited to some school supplies under $20 and clothing under $75.

Nancy Klingensmith told First News she and her husband went into an area store and each individually purchased $10 worth of soda, an item that would normally be taxed but shouldn’t be during the holiday.

“I didn’t think anything of it, and then my husband went and he got charged and he said, ‘Why the 75 cents? It’s tax-free weekend.’ And the girl said ‘I don’t know, I don’t think we’re honoring that,'” Klingensmith said.

Under this year’s tax holiday laws, food at restaurants should also be tax-free, but alcohol is still taxed.

Clinton Holt went to an area restaurant and said he was shocked to see he was taxed for his entire bill.

“I kind of brought it to her attention — I was like, ‘So, with the alcohol that’s on this bill — I understand that’s not tax-free. That’s something that you’ve got to pay taxes on no matter what, but the food items should be tax-free due to the state mandate,'”

Businesses can’t choose to not participate in the sales tax holiday as it’s set by Ohio law.

“She went to go talk to her supervisor, and when she got back to me, she was like, ‘We’re not participating in this,'” Holt said.

According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, “Retailers should refund tax to any consumer who was charged sales tax on an exempt item during the sales tax holiday. Consumers who were charged tax by a retailer should take their receipt to the retailer for a refund.”

There’s also a form issued by the Ohio Department of Taxation to request a refund for anyone incorrectly taxed.

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