Shoppers stocking up on school supplies will find extra savings this weekend during Missouri's annual back-to-school sales tax holiday.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, the state's 4.225 percent sales tax won't be assessed on clothing, school supplies and computer items.

"We always tease that this is like Christmas in August," said Sarah Grigaitis, store manager at J.C. Penney in Cape Girardeau. "We'll do more volume in our children's department this weekend than any weekend during the Christmas season."

Along with the state tax savings, shoppers in Jackson will also not be charged the city's 1.5 percent sales tax because the city has chosen to participate in the tax holiday.

"It does really encourage people to show in your town," said Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr. "If they're going to come here to buy school supplies or a computer or something like that, they'll probably buy something else while they're here."

Lohr said it's difficult to track the effect of the sales tax holiday on the city because of the way it receives tax payments from the state.

Cape Girardeau County will waive its 1 percent sales tax this weekend as part of the state's sales tax holiday.

City sales tax will still be assessed in Cape Girardeau, where city finance director John Richbourg estimates the city would lose $60,000 to $70,000 in tax revenue if it waived its 2.75 percent tax during the weekend.

"In these tough financial times for the city, the council felt it was worth keeping for another year," said city manager Scott Meyer on Cape Girardeau's decision not to participate for the second year in a row.

Even with the city still charging its sales tax, Grigaitis expects a steady stream of shoppers over the next few days.

"This is really aimed at working families, and they are such a big part of our customer base," she said. "If the state's going to do a little extra for them, they're going to come out."

The store will also stay open extra hours this weekend as well, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.

"We've hired additional staff and everyone's working this weekend, whether it's a support or a selling position," she said.

At Nearly Perfect Shoes, workers were restocking shelves Wednesday in preparation for this weekend's shoppers.

"We've boosted inventory this week to make sure we have what customers are looking for," said Robert Petch, president of Nearly Perfect Shoes, which has locations in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Dexter and Poplar Bluff. "There is a spike in sales this weekend, and it's something Nearly Perfect looks forward to every year."

Andrew Bard, owner of Computer 21 in Cape Girardeau, said he also has an increase in sales during the tax-free weekend.

"From what I can tell, people purchase what they were going to purchase anyway, they just happen to schedule the purchase on the tax-free weekend," Bard said. Computer 21 also pays the Cape Girardeau sales tax so customers' purchases at the store are tax-free.

"The fact that the city doesn't participate may send a few sales to close-by cities that do," he said.

A complete list of taxing entities not participating and qualifying sales tax exempt purchases can be found online at www.dor.mo.gov.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent Address:

1923 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO

200 West Park Mall, Cape Girardeau, MO

209 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO

1985 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO