Back-to-school tax holiday heads to Ohio governor

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio back-to-school shoppers would get a three-day reprieve from Ohio’s sales tax under a bill headed to Gov. John Kasich’s (KAY’-siks) desk.

The measure cleared the Republican-controlled Ohio Legislature last week.

It exempts back-to-school clothing, school supplies and instructional materials from state sales tax for three days in August 2015. Backers estimate the tax holiday would save Ohio shoppers some $78 million. Opponents say sales tax holidays are political and represent bad tax policy.

A separate bill was introduced in March by Democratic state Sen. Edna Brown. It proposes exempting purchases of Energy Star qualified products from sales tax during the first weekend in April. With less than a week to go in the session, its prognosis is dim.