Miami-Dade County Police officer Gina Hogen, right, gives a book bag and school supplies to Haley Hernandez, left, 3, and her grandmother Alicia Hernandez during a book bag give away at the office of county commissioner Joe Martinez, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday returns

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday returned this weekend with residents getting the levies waived for purchases of school supplies, clothing and computers.

The sales tax holiday on school-related items runs through Aug. 9. Florida’s sales tax is 6%, but that can be higher based on added county taxes.

Florida shoppers are expected to save $69.4 million during the sales tax holiday, up from $41.8 million last year, $41.7 million in 2019 and $32.7 million in 2018, according to a legislative analysis.

According to a survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, families with kids in elementary through high school plan to spend $848.90 on school items this year, $59 more than last year. That figure is $1,200.32 for college students, up $141 from last year, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

“Signs indicate many students who may have chosen alternative learning options over the last year are coming back to the classroom,” Florida Retail Federation spokeswoman Amanda Bevis told the Sentinel. “With that, it may require a new pair of jeans or classroom equipment that’s on their school supply list and this tax holiday weekend is the perfect opportunity to stock up.”

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