As much as they don’t want to let go of summer, it’s time to get kids thinking about the start of the new school year. With some local school districts beginning their 2018-2019 calendars as early as Wednesday, August 15 (Austin ISD starts on Monday, August 20), the new academic year is right around the corner.
To get ready, a number of districts host events to provide information to children and their parents. On Saturday, August 4, Austin ISD, in collaboration with the city of Austin, will host the 13th Annual Back to School Bash and Safety Fair from 12 – 3pm at the Palmer Events Center (900 Barton Springs Rd,). Almost 150 community organizations and district departments will provide information and activities to prepare AISD students for a safe and successful school year. There will be presentations on safety and educational best practices, as well as free health screenings, booster seats, and even free backpacks filled with school supplies, while supplies last.
On the subject of backpacks and school supplies, those items as well as most clothing and footwear can be purchased free of sales tax during the Texas State Comptroller’s Sales Tax Holiday weekend on August 10-12. Items that are priced for less than $100 can be bought without sales tax, which saves and average of $8 per $100 spent. This includes online, phone or mail order items, as well as in-store purchases.
Be aware that the exemption applies to each item priced less than $100, not the total for all items, so if you buy two pairs of shoes that costs under $100, both are sales tax exempt. In addition, if you purchased a pair of shoes that cost $125, the first $99.99 is exempt, while the remainder is subject to the usual tax. Also, note that textbooks, computers and software are not exempt during the sales tax holiday.
Complete information about the rules and guidelines can be found on the Texas State Comptroller’s website.
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