Parents in the Carolinas will be hitting the stores this weekend to take advantage of the annual sales tax holiday. From midnight Thursday up until midnight Sunday, school supplies and related items will be free of South Carolina's 6 percent sales tax and North Carolina's 5.75 percent tax.
The tax free weekend comes at a time when South Carolina could use every penny of tax revenue it can get. While it may save families some money, the tax holiday will cost the state several million dollars.
The Myrtle Beach Target store will be fully staffed and planning for this tax free weekend as if it were the middle of the Christmas shopping season. "It's really close. I mean, just the sheer volume of people we have coming in for certain items is pretty big," said Target Senior Team Leader Brandon Lollis.
This weekend, several hundred items will be six percent cheaper across the state and, with local sales taxes added, nine percent cheaper in Myrtle Beach.
Many parents say, that really adds up.
"Some of the bigger ticket items like laptops, school clothes, we can definitely save some big bucks by using this weekend," said Susan Sherard of Myrtle Beach.
But while parents save money, South Carolina will lose about $2.8 million dollars in revenue over three days.
Is it right for the state to be chopping its budget at the same time it's giving up millions in potential revenue?
"Honestly, I think it is, because a lot of working class people need a little break this time of year, so I definitely think it's a good idea," Sherard says.
But other parents aren't so sure. Donna Bartolomeo purposely bought all her kids' school supplies before the tax weekend started. "Just beating the crowds," she said.
Bartolomeo says, when teachers' jobs are in jeopardy due to state budget cuts, saving a few bucks on sales tax isn't worth it. "Personally I don't think so. I think it could be used like you said for the teachers and public service workers."
Georgia and the District of Columbia eliminated their sales tax holidays this year because of tight budgets. Florida shortened its tax break to three days. In past years, it had been as many as ten.
In the Carolinas, there were no changes.
