Aug. 3-4 declared state Sales Tax Holiday

Attention Louisiana shoppers: Don’t worry about paying state sales taxes between 12:01 a.m. Aug. 3 and midnight Aug. 4. Lawmakers have designated the two-day period the 2007 Sales Tax Holiday.

Under the “Annual Louisiana Sales Tax Holidays Act,” shoppers are exempt from state sales tax on the first $2,500 of the purchase price of most individual items for non-business use.

“Gov. Kathleen Blanco has provided consumers of the state of Louisiana a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of purchasing items and being exempt from state sales taxes”, says Cynthia Bridges, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

State sales taxes will be applicable to the purchase price of any individual item over $2,500, according to the law.

The holiday applies only to the 4 percent state sales tax. Taxes charged by parishes, municipality, school board and other political subdivisions of the state will still apply.

Vehicle and meal purchases are excluded from the tax break, according to the act. The holiday does not apply to taxable services: Hotel occupancy; amusement; recreational and athletic admissions; repairs to tangible personal property; laundry, cleaning, pressing, and dyeing services; vehicle parking; the furnishing of cold storage space; printing and telecommunication services; or to leases or rentals of tangible personal property.

To receive the tax exemption over the holiday, customers must:

• Purchase and accept delivery of eligible property;

• Place property on layaway;

• Pay for and acquire possession of property that was previously placed on layaway; or

• Place and pay for an order for immediate shipment, even if delivery must be delayed. However, the delay in delivery must not be at the request of the purchaser.

For more information on the state’s tax holiday, visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov, or call (225) 219-2700.