The tax holiday was more likely to benefit families that had "the disposable income to buy an $80 sweater for their teen"(De La Torre 2008). To extend this argument, the effect upon equilibrium price and quantity demanded by such non-price sensitive consumers was negligible, resulting in no net benefit to the state's retailers or middle-class consumers. The sales tax holiday on clothing was as equally regressive as a sales tax on clothing -- someone buying a $500 pair of Prada boots gets the same exemption as a poor woman buying her child a much-needed new school uniform, during the holiday period, in contrast to the periods of time when the sales tax was imposed on goods over $75.

But why places a sales tax on clothing, any form of clothing at all? Making the exemption on clothing on items only below a certain amount seems arbitrary. Perhaps shoes in excess...
[ View Full Essay]