ARDMORE, OK & MADILL, OK - It's the back to school sales tax holiday weekend across Oklahoma, and shoppers are hitting the stores to save some cash. This time of year is where families hit the stores for back to school shopping, and some parents are taking advantage of this sales tax for themselves. Claudia de la Pena visited with shoppers in Carter and Marshall counties Friday.

Chesterlean Cantero says she is going back to school, and like countless others, tax free weekend is helping her save money.

"As you know the economy is kind of in trouble, and I heard they had a clearance and tax free." Cantero says.

"Every little bit helps. I mean you pay for something that you don't have to pay tax, cut the tax off, and buy something else."

Even students like Zan Hefley are excited about tax free weekend. He says his mother was able to buy his sister a new wardrobe.

"We are in a tight budget, and we look cool for less," Hefley says.

This is the fourth year for the back to school sales tax holiday in Oklahoma. Clothing and shoes that sell for $100 or less can be bought tax free, and Oklahoma State District 6 Senator Jay Paul Gumm (D) says every year it's been a hit.

"It has been wildly popular, not only with families who save millions of dollars every year, but with retailers who see increased sales, and tax collections have gone up even with a lower tax rate," says Gumm.

Gumm says during tax free weekend shoppers will have the opportunity to keep their tax dollars in their local communities.

"It averages about $7 to $10 million every year of money that isn't going to the state treasury in the form of taxes, but staying in people's pockets."

Gumm says tax free weekend tax revenues have increase every year.
For shoppers like Cantero she says she enjoys tax free weekend, but feels it should be more then once a year.

"They should have it quite often, like Christmas time, especially Christmas time," she says.

Senator Gumm says in addition to tax free weekend he would also like to see the current state sales tax imposed on groceries be lifted and is currently working on a bill to make that happen.

So what can and what can't you buy tax-free this weekend? Find out on the Oklahoma Tax Commission's website, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below the story.

Texas will hold its back to school tax free weekend in two weeks starting August 20.

On the Web:

http://www.tax.ok.gov/stholiday.html