No Sales Holiday In Florida, But Some Tax Free Shopping In Alabama

July 29, 2009

There is no sales tax holiday in Florida this year for back-to-school shopping. There is a sales tax holiday coming up in Alabama, but if you want to avoid sales tax, you will need to drive past Escambia County, Alabama.

salestaxholiday.jpgThis year is only the third year since 1998 without a back-to-school sales tax holiday in Florida. It is up to the Florida Legislature to approve the back-to-school tax breaks each year. A bill was introduced this year, but it failed to pass amid concerns over the state’s budget woes.

There is a sales tax holiday in Alabama beginning Friday, August 7, but Atmore, Flomaton and Escambia County, Ala., are not participating — they will be collecting county and sales tax as usual.

In Monroe County, including Monroeville, and Baldwin County, including Bay Minette and outlet shopping favorite Foley, there will be no school shopping sales taxes. Brewton will exempt shoppers from city sales tax, but county tax will still apply.

The Alabama sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 7 and ends at midnight on August 9. Most clothing items, computers less than $750 and most school supplies will be completely exempt from sales tax in Alabama counties and cities that approved the tax exemption.

Click here for a complete list of Alabama’s sales tax holiday items.

Comments

15 Responses to “No Sales Holiday In Florida, But Some Tax Free Shopping In Alabama”

  1. Doglover on July 30th, 2009 9:26 am

    Instead of bad mouthing the mayor why not run for election and see how easy it is? We don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. Maybe they are getting some of these businesses. It takes time. They don’t just come because we say we want them. I would love to know what is coming but you gotta have patience instead of running your mouth like some people. In case you haven’t noticed the whole country needs jobs. They have been working on the streets and so what about the lines! They can get to them later! I really don’t know why Florida people are fussing about Atmore not having the sales tax holiday when Florida isn’t either!

  2. Lynn on July 30th, 2009 9:01 am

    You can’t just blame the mayor. . . .you have councilmembers who are supposed to be listening to the people in their district and trying to make things happen for those voters. And what about the chamber of commerce? They should also be out there promoting the town. Atmore isn’t unlike Brewton, in that the people with money and pull don’t want to see the town grow or expand. I’m surprised they agreed to the super WalMart. Personally, I’d rather go to the one in Ensley, as their selection and prices seem to be better. And now Brewton lost Winn Dixie (after already losing Food Fair) which really upsets alot of folks. So it’s a give and take situation I guess. But one thing I do know, attendance at the council meetings is very crucial in getting your voice heard and possibly forcing them to see the light!! But the way Poarch is expanding, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them develop a shopping center or two for the town. Small business owners don’t want to take the chance of allowing a WalMart to come in for fear of being put out of business. I’m personally a supporter of shopping locally and giving my money to the local business owners, and I’m not sure if their theory of losing money to larger stores is right or not. Like Dr. Phil says, “No matter how flat you make the pancake, it still has two sides”!!

  3. paula on July 30th, 2009 12:28 am

    hey folks blame howard shell our so called fine old mayor. he thinks he has done the right thing for ATMORE but not true . ATMORE needs more jobs and more finner places to rent then the slum lord places. our streets need improvement and they need lines on them. now how do we say shop til u drop go to other places like pensacola or brewton an bay minette or daphne! the big wigs run ATMORE not the little people.

  4. proud parent on July 29th, 2009 8:56 pm

    This really sucks for the ppl who have low or no income due to the economy..and have to buy school clothes and supplies…………….

  5. Elizabeth on July 29th, 2009 3:10 pm

    No tax holiday for Florida … sniffle … I love any reason to not pay taxes!

  6. G G on July 29th, 2009 2:40 pm

    It is sad that we do not have more selections to pick from for shopping. I go to North Shore as well. More selections for sure. If we could stop building more fast food places out at the interstate, and get a walmart, and a nice sit down place to eat, it would make it more enjoyable all the way around. I would prefer to shop here for everything. And for the most part I do. The casino is nice, and I have REALLY spent some money there. So I am not against spending my money here, just would like more selections. But what can we do?

  7. Delane Garrett on July 29th, 2009 12:20 pm

    I agree with pennypincher I had rather get in the car and drive a few minutes than to go to every store in atmore to save a dollar or two. And the customer service in atmore sucks!!!!!!

  8. ATMORE on July 29th, 2009 12:07 pm

    Girl .I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!

  9. Girly Girl on July 29th, 2009 11:56 am

    If Atmore would just EXPAND its shopping opportunity… we would be so much better off here… Everybody DOES go elsewhere to shop when it comes to FOOD, CLOTHING, and lots of other things. Just think about it… There are only a very FEW good restaurants here and everybody has to get tired of eating the same things all the time… There is only one REAL hardware store and that is Marvins and they are SKY HIGH on most things compared to Lowes and Home Depot… Grocery Stores are very few and far between and EXPENSIVE !!! There is only One Movie theater… I could just go on and on… Atmore would be a BETTER place to live if they would just TRY to EXPAND…. the small business owners might benefit from it also…..

  10. ATMORE on July 29th, 2009 11:22 am

    I live in atmore and what everyone is saying is so true.I have to go to Bay Minette or Brewton or Pc to try to get a bargain bc everything is so high here and the stores know that we only have those options if we choose not to travel.To ME ITS THE MAYOR!! Walmart and other places have tried to come to atmore but they have voted against it.We have the dollars stores but they arent the dollar stores any more they are higher than the groceries stores.People in atmore are willing to spend money,it not that we are tight it is the people over atmore that makes it seems that way.I would love to spend my money where i live but it basically impossible unless you are picking up odds and in’s.We all should have a sales tax, we arent as broke as they want us to be.They want to spend the money on what that want to instead of trying to help the people that live in this city.We have the Casino and that great for job purposes but we need other place as well.

  11. penny pincher on July 29th, 2009 11:06 am

    I g to Eastern Shore because the parking is great. The sales are worth the drive. I also like the fact that every thing is all in one location Lowes, Sams, Dillards, Old Navyand Belks. Atmore Dollar stores has improve alot in the last several months with more name brands and bigger selection of products. I have notice a increase in price on some things but also have saved 50 cents on some things from the grocery store prices.WalGreen next door has milk cheaper than most of the grocery stores. Peebles has great buys sometimes. I agree that we need a Walmark in Atmore. I have always been told that some of the business owners in Atmore would not let the large chain stores come into Atmore.

  12. Darryl on July 29th, 2009 9:12 am

    Regarding small businesses and their pricing, it is more expensive for several reasons, the biggest being they pay more for the products they sell.

    Unfortunately, we have turned our markets over to corporations that operate on a global scale and take their jobs to which ever market gives them the cheapest labor or cost of production. The benefits are cheaper goods but the negatives is the killing of small businesses that allow people in a town to earn more, who in turn do more local charity support than a corporation. Walmart will give you cheap goods, but it’ll also give you low paying jobs. Its a catch 22.

    As for Atmore, that town suffers from a few who never wanted “their” town to get bigger or change. Cities and towns are like living organisms that either grow or die. Nothing can stay stagnant.

  13. Lynn on July 29th, 2009 9:00 am

    Thanks for this information William. I guess if people want to shop and take advantage of the free tax they’ll have to go to Mobile. Flomaton doesn’t have anywhere to shop anyway and Atmore, from what the other posters have said, is way too expensive. At least Brewton is offering the city tax break. It’s more than the other towns are willing to offer!!

  14. Girly Girl on July 29th, 2009 8:39 am

    I agree with you Molino Mom… Atmore people are so tight they squeek… The VERY few places you CAN shop are so expensive that you dont even want to go into. Atmore would really improve if the PEOPLE would allow a Wal Mart to be built in the area…. They only think of themselves and what they can squeeze out of Atmore folks. Build a Wal Mart People…

  15. Molino MOm on July 29th, 2009 8:19 am

    Of course Atmore and Flomaton won’t give up their pennies. They squeeze all they can squeeze out of people. It’s too expensive to shop in Atmore anyway.