Sales Taxes Take a Holiday this Weekend, but Not Everywhere

As shoppers gear up for a new school year that generally starts in the middle of the month in most school district, the Missouri Department of Rvenue has scheduled its annual sales tax holiday on school supply purchases.

Beginning at midnight Friday and lasting through Sunday, Aug. 5, certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, will be exempt from sales taxes.

But not everywhere. Although St. Louis County sales taxes will be waived, the has opted out of the program and will levy its usual half-cent sales tax.

Similarly in Jefferson County, sales taxes will be waived Aug. 3-5 except in Crystal City, Festus, Pevely, Byrnes Mill and De Soto, which have opted out of the sales tax holiday program.

For local shoppers, it means there will be no sales taxes levied at Arnold businesses, but purchases at Fenton's Gravois Bluffs will be subject to a half-cent Fenton city sales tax, although the St. Louis County portion of the sles tax will be waived.

According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, the following guidelines apply for purchases under the sales tax holiday program:

• Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less.
• School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase.
• Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less.
• Personal computers – not to exceed $3,500.
• Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $3,500.