PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin families could soon get relief when hitting the stores for back-to-school shopping.
“I am very happy to introduce legislation that would provide a three-day sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping,” said State Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska. “That would begin the first Friday in August and then it would conclude the following Sunday.
Pfaff, along with State Rep. Jenna Jacobson, D-Oregon, proposed the bill Monday.
“I think it’s long overdue that our working parents and our working families get a tax break,” said Pfaff.
The bill might even have bipartisan support.
“This is one thing that I was one of the lead authors of when we first instituted it in Wisconsin a number of years ago, so I do think it can work,” said State Sen. André Jacque, R-New Franken.
According to a study by the National Retail Federation, families with K-12 students plan to spend over $850 on average for back-to-school shopping, with $143 of that on school supplies alone.
“I think the more things we ask for, that just hurts the families even more and makes it harder for them for back-to-school. Sometimes, we notice they just won’t bring the things that they need because they just can’t afford it, and it’s a lot,” said Allison Schlader, a third-grade teacher.
“I understand for parents. I’ve got three kids through school, and I’m still paying for kids going to college, and it’s still expensive. So, every little bit you can get, I think it’d be a great idea,” said Chuck Leonard, a high school teacher.
“As a parent, I know first-hand the expense for making sure your children have back-to-school supplies. Not just the school supplies, but the school clothing that goes with it,” said Pfaff.
The sales tax holiday won’t only benefit families, but teachers too.
“I always keep a little back-stack of all the supplies we’re asking for, just so that I have them, and there’s always extra things,” said Schlader.
Some oppose the idea of sales tax holidays.
In 2024, the Tax Foundation released an article that said, “Sales tax holidays are an inefficient vehicle for providing tax relief or generating additional economic activity. They often end up hurting the taxpayers they intend to help.”
Pfaff said, “Ruby red states like Texas, and a very liberal state like Massachusetts. If you have two politically ideologically different states that have a similar policy in place, it may be something for us here in Wisconsin to take a look at.”
19 states will have a sales tax holiday in 2025, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. Only time will tell if Wisconsin joins that list in the future.
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