CLEVELAND — Ohio's newly extended sales tax holiday is only four days away and both businesses and shoppers across the northeastern part of the state are ready to go.
Earlier this year, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that this year's sales tax holiday will be expanded from three to 10 days, starting at midnight on Tuesday, July 30 and extend through 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 8.
The sales tax holiday allows citizens allows citizens to make tax-free purchases in person or online on eligible items costing $500 or less.
This year's tax holiday is expanded in length and scope. In prior years, the holiday ran three days and was limited to $75 maximum for clothes purchases and $20 per item of school supplies.
On Friday, Ryan Morgan, spokesperson at the Brooklyn-area Walmart on Brookpark Road, said shoppers will love the back-to-school shopping experience at their stores.
“I feel satisfied," he said. "I got in this business because I love to help customers and I love to have them come into my store and shop here. All the way from the pens and pencils, all the way to those hot electronic deals. We're going to have the merchandise and you'll be able to get it done in one-stop and it's going to be a fast, fun and easy experience.”
When factoring in both the Ohio sales tax rate of 5.75% and the Cuyahoga County rate of 2.25%, shoppers in Cuyahoga County will save $8 on every $100 of eligible items.
So, if someone spent $500 at Walmart, for example, they'd save $40.
3News asked shopper Donita Brand what that $40 of savings would mean to her.
“That could be a meal. That could be an outfit. That could be a pair of shoes. That could be gas. It could be a lot of things." Brand said. "So, it's definitely good to have that extra money in your pocket.”
For the first time this year, dine-in restaurants will be eligible for the sales tax holiday.
"It's always a good push for people to come out and shop at a time where they're thinking about shopping for back-to-school things, but this extension this year, both in the types of items, the amount, and the length is really, really a great change from the state," said Megan Wise of the Lake Township Chamber of Commerce in Stark County.
She advises in a tough economy where every penny counts, keep your eyes peeled for the deals.
“I think every little bit helps," Wise explained. "I also see a lot of our businesses planning extra promotions for those days as well. Having that sales tax holiday and knowing people were coming out, it kind of gave them a little bit of a push to be able to say, 'Oh I'm going to throw in an extra sale that week.' So, I think there'll be a lot of stacking going on as well, especially in some of the clothing and typical school supply type items.”
The governor's office said the sales tax holiday excludes "services or any purchase of watercraft, outboard motors, motor vehicles, alcoholic beverage, tobacco, vapor products, or any item that contains marijuana."
For more info on the sales tax holiday, such as a list of frequently asked questions, visit the Ohio Department of Taxation's Website.