Senator Barrington: Sales Tax Holiday a Success, Boosts Sales Tax Revenues

State Senator Don Barrington, the author of Oklahoma’s back-to-school sales tax holiday, said an increase in sales tax revenues for the month of August show that the tax holiday was a huge success for the second year in a row.

Barrington, R-Lawton, praised the sales tax holiday for providing savings to Oklahoma families, and for giving a boost to Oklahoma’s economy that helped increase overall sales tax revenues.

“For the second year in a row the sales tax holiday provided significant savings to Oklahoma families, while also having a positive impact on our economy,” said Barrington.

Barrington successfully enacted the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday law in 2007 after years of failed attempts by other legislators. Oklahoma’s sales tax holiday, created by Barrington’s Senate Bill 861, allows clothing and shoes valued at less than $100 to be purchased free of sales tax during the first weekend in August.

Barrington said he wants to expand the sales tax holiday to include school supplies in 2009.

A revenue collections report released by state officials on Tuesday showed that the state’s general revenue fund received $152.9 million from sales taxes in August, which is up $22.3 million (17 percent) from the same month last year and up $15 million (10.9 percent) above the estimate for this year.