Tax Free Weekend 2012: Time for Back to School Shopping in Sedalia

In the last few years Missouri has participated in one of the biggest deals of the summer, and that is the back to school sales tax holiday.  It's one of the big signs that is back to school shopping season is here.

This weekend, the sale begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 3, and runs through Sunday, August 5.  No matter where you shop this weekend, the state's portion of the tax rate (4.225%) will remain exempt for the sale of qualifying sales tax holiday items.

Pettis County has participated in this sales tax holiday at the state level since its beginning.  While Pettis County participates in the holiday by by reducing the county tax, the city of Sedalia does not exempt the city tax.  If both the city and county participated, this would mean more savings in the area for customers.  However, revenue would not come to the city expenditures.

Other cities nearby that are not participating at the city level include Columbia, California, Clinton and Jefferson City.  Counties nearby that are not participating include Benton, Boone, Cooper, Henry, Moniteau, Morgan, Ray and Saline.  In those areas, the 4.225% exemption will still apply, but only on the state tax level.  If you'd like a full list of cities and counties not participating, you can visit here.

There are rules to this exemption that you need to be aware of.  The sales tax exemption is limited to:

• Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less
• School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase
• Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less
• Personal computers – not to exceed $3,500
• Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $3,500

These savings are only available this weekend, and they only come once a year, so make sure you get out there and get some of that back to school shopping done!

What back to schools items will you be buying this tax free weekend?  Let us know in the comments section below.