ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Time is ticking as the end of Georgia's sales tax-free holiday begins to wind down.
Customers shopped in stores across Georgia all day Friday and Saturday to take advantage of the return of the sales tax holiday on back-to-school items.
Selece Beasley of Stone Mountain has two kids in high school. She had a few last-minute items to get at Office Depot for the start of the new school year.
"Four dollars and 22 cents back in my pocket," she said with a laugh.
For the first time since 2009, certain school-related items will be sold tax-free. This time, however, the sales tax holiday does not extend through Sunday. Customers purchasing items on that day will resume paying the sales tax.
Georgia's sales tax holiday first went into effect in 2002. But in 2009, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue did away with it because of the state's tight budget. Recently, Gov. Nathan Deal brought it back.
The sales tax-free holiday was reinstated under the Georgia Jobs and Family Tax Reform Plan. The tax reform package fulfills one of Deal's campaign promises to reduce the tax burden on hard-working families.
"The reinstated sales tax holiday is an opportunity for Georgia families to fulfill some of their needs as our students go back to school," said Deal. "While our state's economy continues to grow, we will continue to work in a pro-family and pro-business manner to lessen the burden on Georgia taxpayers.
Shoppers will not have to pay a sales tax on the following items:
- School supplies less than $20 per item
- Clothing and shoes less than $100 per item
- Computers and some computer accessories totaling less than $1,000
Kayla Mikell of Atlanta was pleasantly surprised Friday when she bought a Kindle.
"It's a plus that it's tax-free," she said.
She also was happy to hear about the clothes and shoes being tax-free, too.
"I'll definitely do some clothes shopping," she said. "It'll be nice."
The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget estimates the two-day holiday will save Georgians up to $66 million.
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