Tax-Free Weekend Savings Don’t Add Up For SC Schools
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Tax-Free Weekend Savings Don't Add Up For SC Schools...
Shoppers in South Carolina will flood the stores this weekend, as the Palmetto State gets its tax-free holiday. But, all that saving doesn't add up for local schools. Sales tax dollars fund South...
Shoppers in South Carolina will flood the stores this weekend, as the Palmetto State gets its tax-free holiday. But, all that saving doesn’t add up for local schools. Sales tax dollars fund South Carolina education. So, a weekend without those dollars means savings for your budget, but not a thing for school budgets. WJBF News Channel 6’s Joy Howe has more.
Aiken, SC—They’ll go out walkin’ after midnight…searching for deals…despite dwindling retail numbers nationally, shoppers are expected to be out in full-force this tax-free holiday in South Carolina.
Duane Watkins, Aiken Target senior team leader: “Our traffic will be, over the weekend, it’s going to be about tripled.“
Target senior team leader Duane Watkins says they have an advantage, here, of being a one-stop-shop. Parents and students can pick up school supplies, but also find clothes and electronics…and shoppers tend to pick up extra things not tax-free, just because they’re here.
Watkins: “That’s why we made sure our venders are delivering us extra product: milk, break, eggs, just about anything they could possibly need.“
But. before the rush begins at 12:01 a.m., Friday morning, we found shoppers at Target getting ahead of the rush, by spending that extra 7 percent, a day before.
Shopper: “Well, I got to get it, may as well get it before it’s all gone.“
Samantha Grove, parent: “We didn’t have a ton of stuff to get, and I knew the bill was not going to be astronomical, and it was just so much quieter today, and I knew tomorrow was going to be maddening. So, I just thought I’d beat the rush.“
And, that’s good news for Aiken County schools, since South Carolina education is funded by sales tax dollars.
For parents who are waiting to buy, though, we asked how they felt that the statewide $3 million that will be saved this weekend by customers, could have gone to classrooms.
Perez Quattlebaum, parent: “Education is important, the schools could use the money, too.“
They could use it, but this weekend, while the state saves us money, school budgets are left hanging.
There are some ways to help local schools, this weekend, as you head out to shop. Target charge card members, for example, can designate one percent of their sales to the school of their choice.
You can also pick up extra supplies and drop them off in school donation bins found in many stores.
You can find a detailed list of items that won’t have sales tax added this weekend here.
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