In a last ditch effort to move the needle, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker filed legislation that would create a sales tax holiday in the Commonwealth for August 19-20. If passed, the holiday would apply to most any item costing $2,500 or less. Governor Baker has stated "We look forward to working with the Legislature to make this important weekend possible, so the Commonwealth can shop local and make purchases tax free.”
However, don’t warm up those credit cards just yet. Although generally supported by retailers and the shopping public, House Speaker Robert DeLeo is on the record as saying “Each year our hope is to hold a sales tax holiday to give our hardworking citizens and local businesses a boost, which is why the House votes consistently in favor of the sales tax holiday whenever revenues allow." However, “this year, the Commonwealth experienced unprecedented revenue shortfalls and accordingly, the Legislature had to make significant budget cuts to programs and services.” Senate President Stan Rosenberg has expressed similar sentiments. Without cooperation in the legislature (where two holiday bills are already sitting), an August tax holiday in Massachusetts remains an unlikely reality.
