For Immediate Release: September 17, 2007                            

Barrington Seeks To Expand Sales Tax Holiday

State Senator Don Barrington, the author of Oklahoma’s sales tax holiday, announced Monday he will introduce legislation expanding Oklahoma’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday to include school supplies.

Currently, clothing and footwear valued up to $100 are tax-free during the first weekend in August. Barrington’s bill would expand the list of tax-free items to include school supplies such as pencils, paper, crayons, notebooks and calculators.

“The first sales tax holiday last August was a resounding success for Oklahoma families and small businesses. One of the top requests we’ve had since then is to add school supplies to the list for tax-free items, and that’s what my bill will do,” stated Barrington, R-Lawton, who authored Senate Bill 861 that created Oklahoma’s sales tax holiday.

The success of the recent sales tax holiday was evident in August’s sales tax collections, which saw a $4.6 million increase from last year.

Barrington believes the addition of school supplies to the tax holiday exemption list will make the sales tax holiday even more successful in 2008.

For more information contact:
Senator Barrington's Office - (405) 521-5563