March 28, 2024

NFIB Urging Shoppers to Support Small Businesses During Sales Tax Holiday

| 7/30/2019

This weekend’s sales tax holiday on clothes, school supplies, and computers is a good opportunity for people to shop small and support the local economy, said Bill Herrle, state executive director of NFIB, the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. The sales tax holiday is Aug. 2-6.

“The sales tax holiday, combined with the usual back-to-school sales, really puts people in the mood to shop,” Herrle said. “We’re reminding everyone that the sales tax holiday applies to Main Street as well as the mall.

“Even if you don’t need to shop for school, you’ll still save money shopping during the sales tax holiday, and you’ll find great deals and unique merchandise by shopping small.

“When you shop at small, locally-owned businesses, you’re helping the community by supporting your friends and neighbors,” Herrle said. “You’re supporting the businesses that support our schools and charities and create jobs in our communities.

“The boost in spending that comes with the sales tax holiday is also a good reminder that Florida needs to join other states and allow businesses to ‘absorb’ the sales tax and pass the savings onto their customers,” Herrle said. 

“NFIB will be advocating for legislation in 2020 that would give businesses the option of paying the sales tax on behalf of their customers, the Legislature would help brick-and-mortar merchants and manufacturers compete with online stores,” Herrle said. “Best of all, sales tax absorption would have no financial impact to the state.”

This year’s sales tax holiday comes at a time when small-business optimism has declined. The widely-followed NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dipped 1.7 points last month to 103.3, according to the latest NFIB Small Business Economic Trends report. State-specific data is unavailable. Overall, although small business optimism remains near historic levels, sales expectations and profits declined in June as uncertainty increased to levels not seen in over two years.

“Small business accounts for most of Florida’s private businesses,” Herrle said. “When we shop small and help small businesses, we help everyone.”

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