Southern Illinois News

The Illinois sales tax holiday for families purchasing school supplies will not happen this year, according to Rep. Paul Jacobs. The representative shared his opinion on the move in a July 14 Facebook post, as well as a link to news coverage of the sales tax holiday's disappearance this year.

"Democrats chose to end the back-to-school tax holiday this year despite the rising costs of supplies. Illinois families need lasting relief, not just when it's politically convenient. Let's make Illinois an affordable place to live and provide real tax relief year after year," he said in his tweet.

Last year, the sales tax holiday went from Aug. 5-14 and helped shoppers save 5% of the sales tax they would usually pay on school supplies and clothing, an August 2022 report from ABC 7 said. It was included in the 2022-2023 fiscal year budget that started on July 1, 2022.

Not all items were exempted from the sales tax last year. A bulletin on the sales tax holiday in 2022, written by David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, outlined what the qualifying items were, and the cost threshold for clothing items to qualify or not. Clothing and footwear that qualified had a limit of $125 per item or less. School supplies were not subject to that limit. Some qualifying items included: Household and shop aprons; coats and jackets; rainwear, shirts and blouses; shorts and pants; shoes, sneakers, and steel-toed shoes. Qualifying school supplies included composition books, writing tablets, scissors, binders, calculators, pens and pencils and other related items.

But not this year. WCIA reported on July 12 that the sales tax holiday isn’t happening, for the first time in three years. The budget for the current fiscal year (which started on July 1, 2023) did not include the same tax relief measures included. According to WCIA, nonprofit groups will hold school supply drives next month to try and ease the burden on families of school-age children.

Jacobs isn't the only legislator who is concerned. "We were hopeful that they would extend those tax breaks for gas and groceries. Especially during this time, our kids are getting ready to go back to school,” Sen. Sally Turner (R-Lincoln) said, in an interview with WCIA.

Jacobs was first elected to the Illinois House in 2020. A Republican, their legislative experience includes serving on the Tourism Committee and Higher Education. Jacobs is a state representative who resides in Pomona, according to his Illinois House bio.