Our turn: Is tax-free weekend a gimmick or is it meaningful tax-relief?

Briones

I think sales taxes are bogus anyway. I’d rather pay a higher income tax than any sales tax. If a sales tax is necessary, then I think there should be a direct relationship. For example, the tax money accrued from educational items should be put back directly into education.

Tax money from medical expenses should be put back into medical research and treatment.

Jocelyn Briones, 32, lives in Greenville and is a homemaker and owner of a business services firm.

Ferebee

It’s kind of like a post-Thanksgiving sale. Except it’s in August. And - oh, yeah - it’s put on by our state government.

I just don’t buy it. I don’t buy that this retail gimmick actually provides any real benefit to lower-income families. After all, prices during tax-free weekends are often suspiciously higher, typical discounts and markdowns are suddenly the exception, and overall savings for hard-working families are minuscule. Some economic critics have even suggested that these weekends, brimming with ridiculous hype, actually encourage families with modest incomes to spend more than they would have without the tax-free incentives.

All a tax-free weekend does is artificially spike retail traffic by encouraging people of all socioeconomic statuses to shop - with less guilt and no taxes. If that’s the goal, then say so. Say that you’re trying to stimulate a sluggish local economy. Say that you’re trying to impress a handful of voters who care more about short-term “tax relief” than meaningful, fair tax policies.

But whatever you do, don’t say it’s for the kids. And don’t say it’s for the poor. Behind the emotionally charged banner of back-to-school savings for hard-working South Carolina families is a shortsighted strategy that may in fact hurt the very families it purports to help.

Matthew Ferebee, 28, lives in Greenville and is a writer for a local advertising firm.

Godfrey

The tax-free weekend is a good idea for working families and retailers as well. Local stores like K-Mart and Wal-Mart report better-than-average receipts on these business days which helps the local economy. Working-class families always consider ways to save a buck or two, and buying notebooks, clothing, and other back-to-school items on these days can really add up to real savings, especially if the sales-tax exemption is coupled with other sales.

The only problem might be that in many cases parents do not know the full list of required items until after the first day of school (special notebooks, class supplies, etc.) For this reason, the state should consider having maybe one later tax-free weekend after Labor Day.

Rusty Godfrey, 33, lives in Greenville and teaches social studies at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

Guy

Tax relief is one the best ways a government can help its people. I have always thought the tax-free weekend was an advantage for those burdened with buying back-to-school supplies. It assists families by strengthening their “buying” power.

Since the tax break lasts only the weekend and the purchases are limited to school-related items, it would be difficult to abuse its purpose - which is to stimulate back-to-school sales by offering buyers an incentive. The state will lose a relatively insignificant portion of its yearly tax revenues on an affair like this weekend.

It’s the equivalent of the government having $2,000 and giving us $3. Local business owners are gearing up for a weekend that will undoubtedly be quite lucrative for their companies. When South Carolina citizens have much to gain, and the state little to lose, what’s the harm in giving parents a break?

Amy Guy, 24, lives in Greenville, is a homemaker and works part time out of the home as a photo retouch artist.

Mangrum

Is this real tax relief? I think not.

Consumers will hardly remember these savings in a month. While they will undoubtedly save a few dollars on their purchases of school-related items this weekend, the biggest beneficiaries of this tax-free weekend are the retailers themselves. I seriously doubt that school supplies will be the only purchases made by the customers who rush out to the stores this weekend after hearing all of the hype about “no sales taxes.” That simply flies in the face of human nature and the retailers know this.

Let’s hope retailers don’t wait until next weekend to mark down some of their prices, knowing traffic will be high and customers might be willing to pay higher prices.

I doubt this will kick-start the economy. What I do not doubt is that people with low incomes who already use a large share of their disposable income for consumption will spend even more of that money this weekend because they think they will be receiving huge savings.

I admit that in these uncertain economic times, any tax relief, especially for people who have modest incomes, is beneficial. However, it is sad if this is all the tax relief low-income families have to look forward to.

Patrick Mangrum, 29, lives in Powdersville and is a self-employed lawyer with a practice in Greenville.

Merck

I think that South Carolina is doing families a great favor by having a tax-free weekend that corresponds with traditional back-to-school shopping. The state is sending a grand message: “Spend money! Help boost the economy! Here, we’ll make it easier for you!”

The loss in revenue for the state is a drop in the budget bucket, considering the state’s $2 billion annual sales-tax revenues and this weekend’s potential rallying of the state’s economy through consumer spending.

A July 17 Greenville News article addresses this issue. However, instead of reading, “State expected to lose about $3 million in revenue,” the main headline should have read, “South Carolina consumers save an average of $3.1 million annually during the sales tax holidays!”

The article goes on to say that the state Department of Revenue spokesman says state consumers and South Carolina retailers are all in favor of the tax-free weekend. Everybody is winning, what’s not to love? The estimated $3.1 million dollars sounds like pretty meaningful tax relief to me.

Kelly Merck, 30, lives in Central and works full time in staff development with a nursing home and part time as a music minister with an Anderson church.

Mansbach

The tax-free weekend is a bit of a scam, albeit a good one. The weekend prods a lot of consumers to shop, and this boosts the economy without costing the state very much money.

People will go shopping, but they really aren’t going to get very good deals. Generally, normal weekend sales don’t take place on tax-free weekends because stores make consumers believe they are saving money already - a whopping 5 percent discount. A study of Florida tax-free weeks found that participants saved $100 during a tax-free week, but had saved $125 on similar items a week earlier.

A lot of bargain-hungry consumers definitely mean a profit for retailers, which is always a positive thing in our current economy.

Even if most consumers won’t benefit very much, I predict that this weekend will still cause traffic jams because of the sheer ferocity of consumers. People like to save money, even if it is only 5 percent.

It is true that some people (besides politicians) might benefit from this weekend, but that depends on what they purchase and where they purchase it. The truly frugal consumer will scour through the markdowns next weekend, as surplus stock should be greatly reduced.

Andrew Mansbach, 18, lives in Greenville, graduated from Southside High School and will be attending Furman University in the fall.

Matney

“Cha-ching! Cha-ching!” I can already hear cash registers ringing.

I also hear the incessant cries of, “Mommy, gimme this!”

Yep, it’s tax-free holiday time again. Where’s Hallmark when you need them?

Any time government takes its grubby hands from my wallet, I’m a happy camper. I’m probably not going out on a limb here, but I imagine other consumers are equally as delighted with the tax-exempt opportunities presented this weekend.

Retailers are thrilled, too. Many report this weekend as being their most successful second only to the weekend following Thanksgiving.

You can call it a gimmick. You can call it meaningful. Heck, you can call it a Cocker Spaniel if you want. The bottom line is that thanks to the outlandish logic used to determine the list of tax-exempt items, this weekend will help most of us save a few bucks - whether we’re shopping for the kiddies or ourselves.

The next 72 hours provide a moratorium on the Department of Revenue’s Mafia mentality of “Where’s our cut?” A 5 percent savings may not seem like much, but considering current economic conditions and the fact that most of us aren’t Donald Trump, all I know is that every dollar helps.

Taft Matney, 30, lives in Greenville and is the president of a local public relations and governmental affairs firm.

Rhyne

I don’t have kids, but I personally have enjoyed the tax-free weekends in the past. Honestly, I have never saved more than $20-$25, but it is the thrill of saving money that lured me into it.

Yes, our state is having a serious budget problem right now. So are many of our families in South Carolina. If the tax-free weekend will help these families who are struggling, then I think it is a great thing to continue. Not to mention the extra revenue it helps generate for many retailers. After all, what is good for retailers is good for the economy!

I think what is most important during the tax-free weekend is for consumers to buy American. If consumers buy American-made products, the money will eventually filter back into our economy.

If there is great concern for the amount of revenue lost, then maybe our leaders in South Carolina could cut their inflated salaries to make up for the lost revenue? Or maybe they could dedicate another weekend during the school year when tax revenues go to nothing but the education budget. I feel certain many parents would do school shopping during that time as well.

Jamie Rhyne, 27, lives in Greenville, is a manufacturing supervisor and a student at Greenville Technical College.

Suber

This so-called “tax-free” weekend is not necessarily a “gimmick” as much as it’s a way of drawing the massive crowds of consumers needed to boost sales for those retailers whose revenues have decreased due to our current economic situation.

It has its problems. Considering the time of year in which school begins, many parents may only use this weekend to purchase school supplies and not more expensive clothing since the fall and winter months are not here yet.

Also, depending on your school district, some kids may not know yet what their supply requirements are for the upcoming school year. He or she may not find out this important information until registration or the first day of school, which may require parents to purchase additional supplies at a later date.

I suppose this weekend is the government’s way of boosting morale, encouraging our children to look forward to the upcoming school year. Yes, we all deserve a break sometime. But is it worth the retail traffic and long lines to save $5 on every $100 spent? I agree with the idea behind this “tax-free” weekend, but I feel it would be more beneficial to the consumer and the retailers if it was offered more that once a year and not limited to three days.

Ericka Suber, 29, lives in Easley and is a team assistant with a local manufacturing company.

Youssef

In my opinion, the idea of a tax-free weekend is just a mind game - a mind game on all parents and others who take a weekend off because they believe they are going to get unbeatable deals on items for school.

In actuality, the idea of a tax-free weekend is more of a headache than enjoyment. For three days, the roads surrounding the mall, office supply stores and places such as Wal-Mart will be crowded and frustrating because of all the traffic.

Tax-free weekend gives retailers the opportunity to raise prices to a point where shoppers will not realize that they are paying too much for school items because they are under the impression that they are getting a deal (a supply-and-demand issue).

It doesn’t make sense to spend three days shopping nonstop when, in one week, prices will be lowered to make room for other seasonal items. By then many students will have already purchased school supply items.

It is not wise, from an economic standpoint, to use a time when many people will be making large purchases for school to not put money into the state. The state needs every bit of revenue it can get in order to keep school districts and education in South Carolina thriving.

Cindy Youssef, 17, lives in Greenville, recently graduated from Southside High School and plans to attend Furman University.