Tallying up what's tax-free

By SHARON FINK
Published July 21, 2005

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Florida's sales tax holiday runs from Saturday through July 31. Sales tax will not be charged on many clothes, shoes and accessories costing $50 or less, books costing $50 or less and many school supplies costing $10 or less.

Here is a partial list of exempt clothes and accessories:

Blouses, dresses, jeans, pants, shorts, shirts, skirts, sweaters and coats; Scout uniforms; slips and bras; ties and belts; hats; hosiery; pajamas; bathing suits; baby clothes, diapers and diaper bags; handbags and wallets; backpacks and book bags; hair barrettes, bows and ponytail holders.

Here is the complete list of exempt school supplies:

Calculators, cellophane tape, colored pencils, compasses, composition books, computer disks, crayons, erasers, glue, legal pads, notebooks, notebook filler paper, paste, pencils, pens, pen refills, poster paper, protractors, rulers and scissors.

For a complete list of exempt items and other tax-holiday details, go to the state Department of Revenue's Web site at http://taxlaw.state.fl.us/taxlawmenu.asp and click on 2005 Sales Tax Holiday.