No Tax on School Supplies?

The State Senate unanimously approved a bill yesterday that would eliminate sales taxes on school supplies, computers and clothing and shoes under $200 the first week in August. According to the bill's sponsor Sen. James Clayborne (D-Belleville), it's "designed to ease the burden of those who struggle to purchase clothes for their children and struggle [to buy] school supplies." Looking through the text of the bill, though, it seems like it would "ease the burden" on buying stuff for everyone, back to school or not. Like, maybe we just love notebooks, OK? (Boy, do we. We recommend graph paper. It makes everything look scientific, even if it's just a shopping list.) The bill also creates a tax holiday for computers under $3000. That's....most computers.

Even though the bill sailed through the Senate, it's unlikely to pass in the House, according to Mike Madigan's spokesman.

Image by The Trial