News Staff Report
There will be something different about Alabama’s 13th annual back-to-school sales tax holiday, which will take place later this month. The list of items for which sales taxes will be waived is basically the same, but this year’s tax holiday will include stores in Atmore.
Mayor Jim Staff announced Atmore’s participation Tuesday morning.
“Our merchants want to participate and we want them to have that opportunity,” the mayor said. “Times have changed. Merchants have not always wanted to participate, but I’ve been talking with them, and they’re anxious to be part of the sales tax holiday this day. It’s certainly a good situation for consumers who can shop here and take advantage of the savings.”
The tax-free period will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 20, and will continue through midnight Sunday, July 22. The annual event affords shoppers the opportunity to buy certain school supplies, computers and clothing without the additional cost of sales taxes.
The special tax-free weekend was originally held on the first weekend in August, but the Alabama Legislature decided last year to move it to the third weekend in July to provide shoppers with the financial break before the start of school each year.
Atmore has not participated in the three-day sales tax holiday for several years, nor has Escambia County or East Brewton. This year, all of the county’s taxing entities — those three and Flomaton — will take part.
Shoppers will be able to avoid sales taxes of 10 percent on sales transacted in Atmore, Brewton and Flomaton, 11 percent on those conducted in East Brewton.
During the tax holiday, the state waives its four percent sales tax — and participating cities and counties waive theirs — on school-related supplies and clothing. Exempt items include
* clothing and accessories (including belts, hosiery and diapers) priced at $100 or less per article;
* school supplies, including art supplies and instructional materials (including maps and globes), valued at $50 or less per item (note: the holiday applies to required textbooks, on an official school book list, that cost more than $30 and less than $50);
* books that cost $30 or less; and
* tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.
For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit or call 334-242-1490 or 866-576-6531 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CDT), Monday through Friday.