HARTFORD, Conn — It's that time of year again. The state's sale tax-free week began August 16 and runs to August 22.
Given the financial impact of COVID-19, the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) is encouraging shoppers to support local, independent businesses.
That annual event allows for the purchase of certain clothing or shoes without paying the sales tax if the item costs $100 or less.
“This has been a challenging spring and summer for local stores struggling to recover from the economic shutdown and a good time to support them as they do come back,” said NFIB’s Connecticut State Director Andrew Markowski. “Not only did small business owners lose a lot of revenue in recent months, but they also had to spend additional dollars to pay for equipment and supplies to protect customers and employees from the coronavirus when reopening.”
Eligible items that will be sold tax-free and those that still require that tax be paid during the tax-free week are listed here. You can also access a pamphlet that offers more detail on the program here.
“If you want to go out and visit your local stores during the sales tax-free week, consider visiting a small independently owned restaurant for lunch,” added Markowski. “Those who prefer not to go in person can often find small local businesses have websites where you can order goods online or do curbside pickup.”
Markowski also said that if state lawmakers headed back to the legislative session, they should consider another tax free holiday later this year.
According to a study from American Express, 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community.
NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.