Georgia’s upcoming sales tax holiday on clothing, computers, and school supplies could provide a much-needed lift to many small stores and businesses, said Nathan Humphrey, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. The sales tax holiday is July 30-31.
“It’s been a lackluster summer for a lot of small businesses,” he said. “The sales-tax holiday should help people get fired up and in the mood to spend.”
The latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, released July 12, shows that small-business confidence improved by only a fraction of one percent in June. “Small businesses are in maintenance mode,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Uncertainty is high, expectations for better business conditions are low, and future business investments look weak.”
That’s where the sales-tax holiday comes in, Humphrey said. Parents would go back-to-school shopping regardless, he said, but the tax holiday could also attract cash-strapped shoppers who have delayed buying new clothes and devices.
“When you shop at small, locally-owned businesses, you’re helping your friends and neighbors,” Humphrey said. “You’re supporting the businesses that support our schools and charities and create jobs in our communities.
To learn more about Georgia’s sales tax holiday, visit the Department of Revenue’s website at dor.georgia.gov.