Local shoppers will save on their back-to-school purchases this weekend as the City of Norman holds its first ever "Tax Free Holiday."

Norman retailers and businesses participating in this weekend's event will give their customers an 8 percent discount on all purchases - equivalent to the state's sales tax.

The Norman Chamber of Commerce's Retail Trade Task Force spearheaded the efforts to have the tax free holiday.

Lynn Palmerton, the task force's chairperson, said the motivation behind having the tax free holiday was to keep back-to-school shoppers in Norman.

"We're calling it 'beat taxes, beat Texas'," Palmerton said.

Palmerton said that over the past few years shoppers have been increasingly driving down to Texas. The holiday is an attempt to keep those shoppers and their dollars from going to Texas retailers.

The Chamber of Commerce decided to go ahead with the tax free holiday after state officials failed to approve the appropriate legislation allowing for the holiday to be held statewide.

Norman's decision to have the tax free holiday without state legislation actually benefits consumers in ways that might not have been possible otherwise, Robin Allen said.

In states where the legislation has been passed allowing for state wide tax free holidays, certain limitions are set, Allen said. Allen is a Retail Trade Task Force committee member.

Often high price tag items are not eligible for discount. In most cases cigarettes and alcohol cannot be bought tax free, Allen said.

About 100 retailers and restaurants are participating. The Gap, Music Warehouse, Norman Music Center and Joe's Taverna are examples of the types of businesses offering purchase without sales tax.

Campus Corner's Shoetopia has had many customers coming in preparation for the weekend.

Shoppers have been visiting the shoe store all week trying on shoes. Once they find a pair they like, customers have been asking to have them put on hold until the weekend when they will cost less thanks to the 8 percent reduction, Melanie Murray said. Murry will be working at Shoetopia for the weekend.

Norman Music Center owner Larry Polk will offer the 8 percent sales tax discount on top of his regular sale prices.

"This is an exciting opportunity for consumers," Polk said.

While Joe's Taverna doesn't really sale back-to-school merchandise owner Joe Gil said he wanted to take part in the tax break holiday for his customers.

"A lot of my customers are students," Gil said. "This is my way of giving something back to them."

Gil said that if students were to spend $200 over the weekend, the money saved during the tax holiday would be enough to buy a couple text books or other school supplies.

If this year's tax free holiday proves successful, the Chamber of Commerce will move to have one at this time each year, said Susan Bash. Bash is the chamber's Director of Community Development.
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