This year, Florida’s back-to-school tax holiday takes place from July 20 to August 20, a full month for families to buy school supplies, clothing and computers without paying the state’s sales tax.It is tempting to measure a tax holiday by the receipt, how much was saved on a backpack, that laptop or those new flashcards. That is the version most families experience directly, and it is real, but it is only part of what this holiday does. The fuller picture is what happens after the purchase, where that revenue lands and wh...
This year, Florida’s back-to-school tax holiday takes place from July 20 to August 20, a full month for families to buy school supplies, clothing and computers without paying the state’s sales tax.
It is tempting to measure a tax holiday by the receipt, how much was saved on a backpack, that laptop or those new flashcards. That is the version most families experience directly, and it is real, but it is only part of what this holiday does. The fuller picture is what happens after the purchase, where that revenue lands and what it supports when it gets there. For the Sunshine State, the back-to-school season has a much broader ripple effect.
A family spending on qualifying items saves 6% or more depending on the county’s surtax rate. Spending on a computer and the savings on that item alone can top $100. For households juggling multiple kids and multiple grade levels, that adds up to true breathing room at a time when school supplies have gotten more expensive.
Here is where the backpack stops being the whole story, and Florida retailers also shine. Florida retailers, from national chains to family-owned shops, pour everything into the back-to-school rush, stocking shelves and training seasonal staff, so families walk out with everything on their list.
A dollar spent at a Florida-based retailer supports a local paycheck, a local storefront and often the same businesses sponsoring the school’s booster club or the neighborhood's Little League team. These businesses are the backbone of Florida’s communities, and this tax holiday is the perfect time to say thank you with our shopping carts.
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This holiday’s biggest win isn’t just what it saves shoppers, it’s the chance for that savings to circle back into the towns where families live, work and send their children to school.
None of this requires an elaborate plan. It just means treating the season as more than a countdown to the first day of school. Make a stop at the local shop to see what unique options they may have in stock. Ask the neighborhood retailer what’s on sale. Florida’s retailers have spent the summer getting ready for this exact moment, and shopping with them is one of the easiest, most rewarding ways to make the season count.
The tax break is already built into the calendar. What it buys Florida, beyond the backpack, is a little more support for the businesses that make this state feel like home.
Scott Shalley is the president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, which represents 270,000 retail stores across the Sunshine State.
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