Missouri's welcome-but-confusing annual sales tax holiday starts today. So if you're in need of back-to-school supplies, you can get a little break on your taxes this weekend.
It's confusing because the state law exempts the state's 4.225 percent sales tax from certain - but not all - back-to-school supplies from certain - but not all - businesses.
To make matters more confusing, certain - but not all - cities and counties also participate in the program. It's this issue we would like to address. (If you'd need to clear up any other confusion about the event, visit dor.mo.gov/business/sales/taxholiday/school/.)
To make matters a bit less confusing - but mainly to give a small tax break to working families - we have encouraged Jefferson City and Cole County to consider participating. This year, we renew that request.
The city and county have nearly a year to study how it would impact their budgets, which we don't believe would be much. Next year, they could start treating area residents to a true "tax-free weekend" as the event sometimes is billed.
As it works now, you pay a little less than half the normal sales tax on back-to-school items from Friday through Sunday.
That's because the state sales tax is removed, but the city and county sales taxes are still in place. The city collects two sales taxes, for capital improvements and for parks and recreation; the county collects three - for capital improvements, ambulance service and law enforcement.
According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $687.72 each on back-to-school shopping this year - the second-highest recorded spending level.
Working families in our area stretch their dollars in various ways this time of year. Eliminating city and county sales tax for one weekend a year wouldn't be a windfall for consumers and it wouldn't be a budget-killer for governmental entities.
However, it would be a good gesture for families trying to make ends meet as they face big expenses as they ready their kids for the new school year.