Summer is coming to a close and the new school year is here. With that comes searching for the best deals for back to school shopping.
Several states like Florida, Alabama and Mississippi offer a tax-free weekend to help save some dough when filling up your cart. However, Washington does not offer this incentive for residents. But why not?
Here’s what to know, and some alternative tips on saving on shopping in the 2024 school year.
WA almost approved a tax free weekend in 2022
Washington nearly implemented a tax-free weekend back in 2022. Under the proposal, sales tax wouldn’t be charged between Sept. 3 and Sept. 5 of that year on purchases of items under $1,000. Tobacco, marijuana and alcohol products didn’t qualify for the exemption, and neither did meals, services or travel purchases.
The measure aimed to provide relief for families still struggling financially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also encouraging them to shop at local businesses on Labor Day weekend.
“Whether your kids need pencils, notebooks or a new computer this fall, this bill will ensure it’s a little easier on your bank account this Labor Day,” Alicia Rule, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said in a statement at the time. “There’s no single solution to solve the pressure that working families are facing, but this is one good bill to help us all find a little relief.”
The bill made it through the House by a 91-7 vote , but it met a different fate in the Senate, as it didn’t make it out of the Ways and Means committee.
Why doesn’t Washington have a tax free weekend?
2022 wasn’t the first time the state has considered a tax-free weekend — in an email to McClatchy, the Department of Revenue estimated that similar proposals have been put forward nearly half a dozen times over the last decade, including several in the 2013 to 2014 legislative cycle.
So why did Washington’s Senate reject the tax-free weekend back in 2022 after it passed the House by such a wide margin?
According to a spokesperson for the State Senate Democratic Caucus, there were several reasons that the Senate didn’t approve of the measure. First of all, the policy sounds better in theory than it is in practice, as tax-free weekends haven’t been found to cause a significant increase on economic activity.
Additionally, lawmakers were concerned that it would disproportionately benefit the wealthy, who have enough saved up to spend large amounts in one weekend. There were also concerns that it would cause administrative issues for the Department of Revenue, and cost local government millions in tax revenue, all with little benefit, according to caucus staff.
Lastly, lawmakers were concerned about the legality of a tax-free weekend under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement , which governs how member states collect sales tax from retailers that operate across different states, including out-of-state online retailers that ship to Washington.
Although the Evergreen State doesn’t have a tax-free weekend, there are still ways to save money this back-to-school season.
Where can I get the best deals for back to school?
If you live near the border with Oregon, where they do not have general sales tax , you can take a road trip for shopping. But if road trips aren’t your thing, you can still save big by scrounging through your local store ads and searching for the best deals:
Walmart currently has deals on computers, supplies, book bags, clothing and more.
Target has deals on school supplies for kids and college students as well as office supplies for teachers.
Staples has notebooks starting at 35 cents, pencils for 50 cents, backpacks for $20, calculators for $119 and more.
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