Florida TaxWatch: Legislature's Cost Cuts Allow Tax Free Holiday

With Floridians getting ready for the sales tax holiday on back-to-school shopping starting Friday, Dominic Calabro, the president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch, said the state can miss out on the revenue due to the Legislature being fiscally responsible

"From August 2-4, Florida retailers and families will participate in the 2013 back-to-school sales tax holiday, Calabro said in a statement on Thursday morning. "The 2013 sales tax holiday will reduce the burden on all of Florida's taxpayers by an estimated $28.3 million. The Florida Legislature is able to offset this reduced revenue by implementing cost savings measures year after year. These cost savings measures allow our government to ease the burden on all of Florida's taxpayers while continuing to provide core services at a high level.

"Florida TaxWatch commends the Legislature for implementing many of the recommendations of the TaxWatch Government Cost Savings Task Force during the past four years, saving taxpayers more than $4 billion, added Calabro. The annual sales tax holiday is one way to pass those cost savings directly to taxpayers.

"Though the sales tax holiday is a welcome relief for taxpayers, it is the only time during the year that our state's brick-and-mortar businesses, who provide jobs and pay taxes to our local communities, will be on a level playing field with online and remote sellers who do not collect and remit sales taxes, Calabro said in conclusion. We look forward to the Legislature revisiting state sales and use tax policy in 2014 in order to remove the competitive disadvantage of up to 7.5 percent faced by our state's Main Street retailers."