AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Georgians are flocking across the border to South Carolina to take advantage of their neighbor's sales tax holiday.
The Augusta Chronicle reports that beginning Friday at 12:01 a.m. South Carolina waived its 6 percent sales tax as well as any local sales taxes.
Georgia hasn't had a back-to-school sales tax holiday since 2009. And South Carolina stores say they've benefited from the out-of-state business.
Marcus Barry, manager at the North Augusta Office Depot, told The Augusta Chronicle that on Friday morning store traffic increased by 10 percent.
"They're here, just like they did last year," Barry said of Georgia shoppers. "They came in droves."
Ebony Story was shopping with her two sons, Dedrick and Devin, at the North Augusta Office Depot in South Carolina. They live in Grovetown, Ga. and Story said they had waited to do back-to-school shopping until the tax free weekend across the state line.
"We waited on purpose," she said. "We're going to hit several stores today."
She said it didn't make sense to her why Georgia couldn't have a tax-free weekend as well.
"One time a year isn't going to kill anyone," she said with a laugh.
Georgia canceled its back-to-school sales tax holiday and another tax holiday on the purchase of energy efficient items because of shrinking state revenues during the economic downturn.
North Augusta K mart manager Ryan Rachael said that 6 percent sales tax can add up.
"It depends on how much they buy, how many kids they're shopping for," he said. If Georgia won't give shoppers a sales tax break, they'll just shop in South Carolina."
South Carolina's sales tax holiday ends Sunday at midnight.
Items covered include: clothing, accessories such as hats and handbags, footwear, classroom supplies, computers, and linens. It does not extend to jewelry, cosmetics, furniture or business equipment, among other things.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
