Shop with less taxes this weekend

Local shoppers will once again have an incentive to shop locally this weekend.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce has organized a Sales Tax Holiday scheduled to run Friday through Sunday. During the promotion, several local retailers will offer an 8.65 percent discount on all purchases made up to $300 throughout the entire weekend.

FSACC Executive Director Lindsay Madison said this is the third year the chamber has offered the promotion.

"Other states have promoted a sales tax holiday where the state has authorized or voted to have tax-free sales that weekend," she said. "Kansas does not have that so this is our local way of doing a sales tax holiday."

Nearly 20 retailers have agreed to provide a discount equal to the city's total sales tax rate of 8.65 percent on any purchases.

"It's the first weekend in August, the weekend other states traditionally do it," Madison said.

Missouri's annual three-day Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, in which sales tax is waived on selected purchases, is also scheduled this weekend and is typically the first weekend in August. Items eligible in that promotion include clothing, school supplies and computers.

"We try to keep the people shopping locally," she said.

Other states also have a sales tax holiday, however, there is no official statewide sales tax holiday in Kansas.

Madison said about the same number of retailers will participate this year as have participated in past years. She said shoppers and business owners she has spoken to have been pleased with the results of the promotion. Many retailers have reported drawing extra business those weekends.

"People were pleased," she said. "I think I remember (Iron Star Antiques and Such owner) Barbara Trimbur reporting some people who shopped ... were pleasantly surprised when they received that discount. There are people who are shopping just for that promotion."

Madison said the promotion draws more people to local businesses each year, which is one of its goals.

"I think it draws interest," she said. "Each year we've done it, people start inquiring several days before the weekend asking which stores are participating."

The stores offer items such as apparel, technology products, home décor and furnishings such as trees and shrubs.