Tennessee and Virginia consumers will get a break on back-to-school purchases Aug. 1-3 when taxes on some clothing, supplies and other goods are dropped from sales receipts.
Cash-strapped teachers also will get a break during the tax holiday as many have to pay for basic supplies out of their own pockets because of shrinking school system budgets.
But all consumers – whether they are parents, teachers, accountants or truck drivers – are welcome to take advantage of the tax breaks, as long as they buy qualified items.
The annual tax holiday in both states begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1, and ends on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 11:59 p.m. Lee and Teresa Thomas, of Bristol, Tenn., were running errands on Thursday when they were asked about the upcoming tax holiday. They have three children, two are in preschool and one is in fourth grade.
“We’ve been taking advantage of the tax holiday since 2006, and the savings is worth it,” Lee Thomas said. “Anytime you can save money it’s worth it.”
The couple said they generally buy in bulk during the tax-exempt weekend for two reasons. First, buying more notebooks, pencils or crayons at one time means they don’t have to return to stores for a while. Second, their main purchases are clothing, which means with children close in age, a coat or a pair of shoes can sometimes be handed down while the item is still in relatively good shape.
Over the weekend, all consumers in Tennessee can purchase items totaling $100 or less tax-free, such as clothing, including jeans, jackets, dresses, socks and shoes.
School and art supplies, including paper, pens, crayons, lunch boxes and notebooks, also can be purchased tax-free if the total amount is $100 or less.
Computers with a price tag of less than $1,500 also can be purchased without paying sales taxes. However, accessories purchased separately, such as speakers and monitors as well as software, are not tax-exempt.
“We don’t sell computers, but we do sell a lot of binders, paper and pencils,” said Bill Wilmoth, manager of Big Lots off Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tenn. “Sales definitely jump during that weekend, but our school supply sales have been up all through July.”
The start of a new school year also draws teachers to the store, Wilmoth added.
“I have so many teachers in here – the school board is short on funds and teachers come in and buy loads of pencils, notebooks, the essentials,” he said.
Items sold via mail, telephone, e-mail or the Internet also may qualify if the order is paid for and processed during the exemption period.
Tennesseans will get a tax break of 9.25 percent, which is the combination of the 7 percent state tax and 2.25 percent local sales tax.
So the savings on $100 worth of tax-exempt items is $9.25, and the savings on a $50 purchase is $4.63.
The tax exemption is based solely on the purchase of items that qualify for the holiday, and no identification or certificate is required.
There’s also no limit on the number of items that may be purchased as long as the purchase price of each of those items is below the threshold provided in the law.
Tennessee residents are expected to save about $10 million during the three-day period this year, compared to $14 million in 2007 and $15 million in 2006, according to the Tennessee Legislative Budget Analysis Office.
Factors causing the savings amounts to decline over the years include the U.S. economic downturn and the fact that many shoppers may have purchased more items last year or the year before than they planned to use at that time, according to the state office.
During the same three-day period in Virginia, purchases of certain school supplies, clothing and footwear are exempt from Virginia sales tax.
Under Virginia law, the tax on purchases of all items other than food is 5 percent.
Each eligible school-supply item must be priced at $20 or less, and each eligible article of clothing and footwear must be priced at $100 or less.
The actual savings are less in Virginia because the tax is lower. A $20 purchase saves consumers $1; a $100 buy saves $5.
“The price of school supplies is outrageous,” said Darren Berkley of Bristol, Va., who was shopping at Office Depot off Interstate 81’s Exit 7. “I have a son, Josh, who’s entering his junior year at the University of Tennessee, so back-to-school applies to older students, too, and we [he and his wife] are paying for it.”
Berkley’s son goes through plenty of art supplies, including sketch pads, so when tax holidays come around the purchases are usually made in bulk.
“Anything you can save is huge, because it seems like we’re continually buying something,” he said.
In Virginia, articles of clothing include any apparel or footwear intended to be worn on the human body. Tax-exempt clothing does not, however, include accessories, sporting equipment or footwear designed primarily for athletic activity.
Tax-free school supplies do not have to be used in school or school activities, but the items are limited to goods commonly used by a student, including art supplies, instructional materials and school music supplies.
One of the major differences in the tax holidays for the two states is that Virginia does not exempt computer systems from taxes.
In January, a bill was introduced to the Virginia General Assembly that would have added computers costing up to $1,500 to the list of tax-exempt items this year. The House vote on Feb. 7 was 99-0 for the addition. But the bill has been sitting in the Senate Finance Committee since late February.
Virginia residents are projected to save about $4 million this year, according to Virginia Department of Taxation officials. Figures for past years were not available.
Tracey Yates, a former fourth-grade teacher in Washington County, Va., was loading groceries into her vehicle on Thursday at the Wal-Mart, also off Exit 7.
“I actually drove all the way to Gatlinburg last year because they have outlet stores there, so prices are already reduced,” she said of last year’s tax-exempt period. “I bought supplies for my classroom, and I’ve always had to buy chalk, pencils and crayons. So, as for school supplies – yes, the tax holiday is awesome.”
In both states, out-of-state residents can take advantage of the tax savings. However, when property purchased without the payment of sales taxes in Virginia is exported for use in other states, a use tax may be applied.
Items purchased at Virginia businesses via the Internet that qualify will be exempt from taxes if the item is delivered to and paid for by the customer.
Campaign-Gear Collectors Vote With Their Money
Politics and political campaigns are featured in every newspaper, website and blog, and collectors are looking at the new memorabilia that can be part of a collection.
The official pins sold or given away by the party, not the souvenir pins sold by merchants, are the ones that gain in collector value. The signs, T-shirts, pencils, jewelry, mugs, hats, dishes, paperweights and other memorabilia should also be official.
Some collectibles are new: TV and radio commercials, songs and viral videos (amateur Internet videos) can now be collected and stored electronically.
Some political memorabilia has almost disappeared. Past campaigns featured soap babies, cigarette packs, ceramic figurines, bandannas, knives, watch fobs, wristwatches and even packing boxes that held lettuce.
Some of the items that are rare today were throwaway items.
Even candy and gum wrappers were made to tout the virtues of a candidate. A few, like the "gold bug" pin, promoted a party view more than a candidate.
Save the interesting political items you see. Usually the material from primaries is of little interest later, but this year the first black and first woman candidates created a "crossover" appeal for collectors.
That means three groups will be searching for these. They'll be wanted by collectors of black memorabilia, women's rights materials and political items.
The official pins sold or given away by the party, not the souvenir pins sold by merchants, are the ones that gain in collector value. The signs, T-shirts, pencils, jewelry, mugs, hats, dishes, paperweights and other memorabilia should also be official.
Some collectibles are new: TV and radio commercials, songs and viral videos (amateur Internet videos) can now be collected and stored electronically.
Some political memorabilia has almost disappeared. Past campaigns featured soap babies, cigarette packs, ceramic figurines, bandannas, knives, watch fobs, wristwatches and even packing boxes that held lettuce.
Some of the items that are rare today were throwaway items.
Even candy and gum wrappers were made to tout the virtues of a candidate. A few, like the "gold bug" pin, promoted a party view more than a candidate.
Save the interesting political items you see. Usually the material from primaries is of little interest later, but this year the first black and first woman candidates created a "crossover" appeal for collectors.
That means three groups will be searching for these. They'll be wanted by collectors of black memorabilia, women's rights materials and political items.
Self taught gear box doctor makes it
"Hey you big headed bush mechanic, repair my gear box now, now!!, I want to collect a lot of money from public servants who fear the bite of this cold winter season in the morning, roars a taxi operator.
"Dont worry, Im the gear box doctor," answers a red eyed strange figure, clad in tattered dusty overall splashed with grease and oil.
He is Mr Thabang Mosholombi aged 30 years who calls himself the doctor of vehicles gear boxes and diffs as he specialises in repairing them in Molepolole.
Mr Mosholombi was born and raised in Mathathane village in Bobirwa area in the Central District. He operates his business along Gaborone/Molepolole road opposite High Way Fresh Produce and LEA offices at Ga-Monametsana ward in Molepolole.
Entering the place, one is greeted by a big board with bold red letters, that read "Welcome to Mr Gear Box and Diff Hospital".
Thabang started his business from scratch while still residing in Selebi-Phikwe township in 2001. He learnt to repair gear boxes from a Japanese company where he was employed as a labourer.
He had never gone to any college to learn the art of repairing gear boxes. He just developed interest and absorbed the knowledge from the company and worked even harder until he reached the level of a mechanic.
He says he tried to get financial assistance from CEDA and LEA but due to little knowledge of the procedures he could not manage so he started business on his own from the money he got from his customers.
He bought his tools from the savings he made out of charging motorists who brought their gear boxes and diff for repair. He says during a good day he can make up to P1 000 and he handles different vehicles including trucks. He has employed two labourers.
"The only problem I have experienced is that some of my clients take too long to buy parts for repair of their vehicles," says Thabang.
People as far as Letlhakeng sub district and the surrounding villages visit him every day for repair, something he is proving excellent at doing.
Mr Oreeditse Lefatshe, one of the customers, indicates that he brought his two vehicles to Thabang and every thing went well because he never encountered any problems after he handled them.
Mr Nakedi Pholo, praises Mr Gear box for the good service he renders. He encourages him to look for financial assistance seriously because in that way, he will expand, employ more people, and be even more empowered as a youth. BOPA
"Dont worry, Im the gear box doctor," answers a red eyed strange figure, clad in tattered dusty overall splashed with grease and oil.
He is Mr Thabang Mosholombi aged 30 years who calls himself the doctor of vehicles gear boxes and diffs as he specialises in repairing them in Molepolole.
Mr Mosholombi was born and raised in Mathathane village in Bobirwa area in the Central District. He operates his business along Gaborone/Molepolole road opposite High Way Fresh Produce and LEA offices at Ga-Monametsana ward in Molepolole.
Entering the place, one is greeted by a big board with bold red letters, that read "Welcome to Mr Gear Box and Diff Hospital".
Thabang started his business from scratch while still residing in Selebi-Phikwe township in 2001. He learnt to repair gear boxes from a Japanese company where he was employed as a labourer.
He had never gone to any college to learn the art of repairing gear boxes. He just developed interest and absorbed the knowledge from the company and worked even harder until he reached the level of a mechanic.
He says he tried to get financial assistance from CEDA and LEA but due to little knowledge of the procedures he could not manage so he started business on his own from the money he got from his customers.
He bought his tools from the savings he made out of charging motorists who brought their gear boxes and diff for repair. He says during a good day he can make up to P1 000 and he handles different vehicles including trucks. He has employed two labourers.
"The only problem I have experienced is that some of my clients take too long to buy parts for repair of their vehicles," says Thabang.
People as far as Letlhakeng sub district and the surrounding villages visit him every day for repair, something he is proving excellent at doing.
Mr Oreeditse Lefatshe, one of the customers, indicates that he brought his two vehicles to Thabang and every thing went well because he never encountered any problems after he handled them.
Mr Nakedi Pholo, praises Mr Gear box for the good service he renders. He encourages him to look for financial assistance seriously because in that way, he will expand, employ more people, and be even more empowered as a youth. BOPA
Linear actuators which eliminate belt-drive gear boxes
Pacific bearing has launched a range of linear actuators which eliminate the need for belt-drive gear boxes.
The PL series’ machined profile means it can be flush mounted on both sides as well as the base.
According to the manufacturer, because belt-drive gear boxes are not required, the overall running costs of the system have been reduced.
The company says the unit also has a magnetic seal which allows it to function in food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical applications.
The developer claims the device has pre-loaded ball bearing rollers and Integral V hardened-steel raceways which reduce vibrations and noise.
The PL series’ machined profile means it can be flush mounted on both sides as well as the base.
According to the manufacturer, because belt-drive gear boxes are not required, the overall running costs of the system have been reduced.
The company says the unit also has a magnetic seal which allows it to function in food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical applications.
The developer claims the device has pre-loaded ball bearing rollers and Integral V hardened-steel raceways which reduce vibrations and noise.
Gearboxes for overhead cranes
Scotland-based manufacturer Power Jacks has Neeter Drive range-P bevel gearboxes in stock, offering immediate delivery to UK customers.
Originally founded in 1939, Neeter Drive is now part of the Power Jacks Group but its focus remains the design and worldwide supply of high quality engineered right angle bevel gearboxes for industrial applications.
The units are compact "monobloc" spiral bevel gearboxes designed to transmit rotary motion through 90 degrees for torque capacities up to 40Nm. The gearboxes are available in solid shaft and hollow shaft in 2-, 3- and 4-way designs with gear ratios from 1:1 to 3:1.
Power Jacks said: "Customers can get a Neeter Drive range-P gearbox in a few hours or a few days depending on their chosen delivery method."
Within the range there are two main variants, the Series 2000 and Series 4000. The former mounts the gearbox using four bolting points compared to the Series 4000, which uses three.
The gearbox product portfolio consists of three gearbox ranges, namely range-P, range-N and range-PowerGear.
Originally founded in 1939, Neeter Drive is now part of the Power Jacks Group but its focus remains the design and worldwide supply of high quality engineered right angle bevel gearboxes for industrial applications.
The units are compact "monobloc" spiral bevel gearboxes designed to transmit rotary motion through 90 degrees for torque capacities up to 40Nm. The gearboxes are available in solid shaft and hollow shaft in 2-, 3- and 4-way designs with gear ratios from 1:1 to 3:1.
Power Jacks said: "Customers can get a Neeter Drive range-P gearbox in a few hours or a few days depending on their chosen delivery method."
Within the range there are two main variants, the Series 2000 and Series 4000. The former mounts the gearbox using four bolting points compared to the Series 4000, which uses three.
The gearbox product portfolio consists of three gearbox ranges, namely range-P, range-N and range-PowerGear.
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