Aug. 10--Families preparing for the new school year will save more than ever during this sales tax holiday with over two dozen school supplies items included to the Texas' list of tax-free items, along with clothing, footwear and backpacks from previous years.

During the sales tax holiday, which will last from Friday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 23., shoppers will not have to pay Texas' 8.25 percent combined state and local sales tax on qualifying purchases like pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, binders and much more. And with shoppers' expected to save an estimate $65.7 million due to these additional items, large retailers and local merchants are getting ready.

Jacksonville's Wal-Mart Supercenter store manager, Roy Horton, says more and more shipments are coming in every day with back-to-school items to satisfy the large crowd he is anticipating.

"Tax-free weekend is the weekend before school starts, so at Wal-Mart, we're already preparing by stocking-up on school supplies, uniforms and food," he said. "It'll be a big weekend for all three of those as parents are getting ready for the new year."

According to Horton, the school supplies added to the list are very likely to make a difference in the amount of customers shopping during the sales tax holiday which is why he plans to have additional cashiers and associates on hand to help customers.

"A lot of parents and students are waiting to get school supplies until the sales tax holiday this year because they are now included as tax-free items -- especially larger, more expensive items such as Texas Instruments, or TI, calculators that cost around $89 to $99," he said.

Though Wal-Mart, a worldwide retailer, is certainly in preparation, Rusk small business owner and manager, Monica Thomasson, says her consignment shop, The Hip Shack, is also revving up for the big weekend.

"We are making a big back-to-school push this year for junior's and children's sizes," she said. "We're bring out a lot of new inventory so we have plenty items and a good selection."

Located on the downtown square in Rusk where clothing shops are rare, The Hip Shack offers a wide variety clothing, in addition to a collection of quality purses, shoes and handmade items, which Thomasson is excited to offer without any sales tax.

"I love to be able to offer tax-free, back-to-school clothing to kids in the area so they don't have to drive all the way to Tyler or Lufkin to get name-brand clothing at original prices," she said.

For a complete list of the new tax-free items for the sales tax holiday, go to www.window.state.tx.us, type "sales tax holiday" into the search bar and click the second link available.

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Copyright (c) 2009, Jacksonville Daily Progress, Texas

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