SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Governor J.B. Pritzker took part of Thursday to encourage Illinois families to take advantage of an opportunity to purchase school supplies and a much lower sales tax rate.
“Our parents shouldn’t have to choose between buying essential school supplies for their children and putting food on the kitchen table. Our teachers shouldn’t have to break the bank to do right by the students that they nurture day in and day out,” said Governor JB Pritzker.
Starting August 5 and for the following 10 days, state sales tax on school supply items will drop from 6.25% to 1.25%.
Eligible items include qualifying clothing and footwear such as school uniforms, coats, sneakers, rainwear, and winter gear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item.
Eligible school supplies including book bags, calculators, and other items used by students for studying are not subject to the $125 threshold.
Teachers are also able to take advantage of the tax holiday.
Teachers can also receive an income tax credit up to $250 for school supplies purchased for their classrooms.
The 10 day sales tax holiday is the first for Illinois in over a decade.
It’s part of a larger package of tax breaks passed by state Democrats in this year’s legislative session, which Republicans panned as largely political moves to win votes.
Additional resources for retailers, including a complete list of qualifying items, may be found on the Illinois Department of Revenue’s website tax.illinois.gov.
