JEFFERSON CITY — We are past the mid-point of summer and getting ready to prepare for fall, which is right around the corner. Of course, when we think of fall, we think of students heading back to school. The State of Missouri and local communities assist parents by holding an annual Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday the first weekend of August. This year, the holiday will begin at 12:01 a.m., Friday, Aug.2, and will last until 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4.

Items that qualify for the tax-free holiday are items regularly needed for school, such as clothing, school and art supplies, and personal computers. Clothing includes shirts, pants, jeans and shoes up to $100 per item, but not accessories such as jewelry. School supplies up to $50 per purchase are tax exempt, and can also include student computer software up to a $350 value, but do not include any sports equipment or office equipment. Personal computers can include direct accessories, such as flash drives, scanners or printers, up to a total value of $3,500.

I encourage you to take advantage of this program, which is in its seventh year. With a potential for such major savings, it is an opportunity to both stretch your back-to-school budget and keep everyone happy with their back-to-school shopping experience. Jackson County and all cities in the 8th District are participating in the sales tax holiday, so you can shop locally and support eastern Jackson County businesses.

If you have any questions, either as a vendor or a purchaser during this 48-hour tax holiday, please visit the Missouri Department of Revenue’s Back to School Sales Holiday website. For an exact listing of the cities and counties around the state participating in the tax holiday, visit www.dor.mo.gov or call the Sales/Use Tax Department at the Department of Revenue at (573) 751-2836.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 573-751-1464, or e-mail at will.kraus@senate.mo.gov.