Residents to take advantage of tax-free weekend

Jared Tucker

New Mexico’s Tax Free Weekend Aug. 6-8 is very popular among consumers like Portales resident Monica Delgado.

Delgado says this will be the second consecutive year she’s taken advantage of the holiday, and said last year she saved a bundle of cash when her youngest of two children started school.

“I would guess about $150, because we went all out (on supplies and clothes)” Delgado said.

Delgado’s daughter, first-grader Emari Rodriguez, said she’s happy too, because she’ll get to sport a Hannah Montana backpack to her first day of school.

The tax-free provision applies to clothing and shoes sold for less than $100, and does not include athletic clothing and protective gear that’s not normally worn beyond athletics, according to the state’s web site.

Routine supplies for school included in the provision are notebooks, paper, pens and pencils, art supplies, rulers, bookbags/backpacks, handheld calculators and maps and globes, the web site says.

The tax-free provision specifically excludes items such as watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, and telephones.

College students aren’t left out of the tax-free fun, either.

The law says a person can buy a laptop or desktop computer, as long as it doesn’t cost over $1,000 and you can throw in all the accessories like speakers, a printer, keyboard and a microphone or mouse, as long as those items don’t cost more than $500.

Alicia Smith, a student at Eastern New Mexico University, said she comes from a large family, so the tax-free holiday is perfect for her and her family.

“Since school supplies cost more at the campus bookstore, this gives me a chance to save money. A lot of money, actually,” Smith said.

Smith said she plans on using the money she saves on supplies during the weekend for either room and board expenses, or putting it towards her tuition.

Retailers have the right to not participate in the tax-free weekend, according to the state’s web site.