Preparations begin for Mississippi's fifth Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Hunters looking to stock up and save are in luck this weekend. But some folks would like to see the state's other tax free weekend expanded. This is the fifth year for the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday. And it was just a month ago that shoppers were able to get rung up tax free on other items.

There are some significant differences between the two weekends.

Van's Sporting Goods in Brandon is gearing up for the weekend. Thursday, phones were ringing, and they were pre-stamping paperwork for gun background checks. And starting Friday, it will be busy.

"Black Friday on steroids for us," said Van's manager Todd Sarotte. "We'll have several manufacturer reps in store this weekend, a lot of extra help, but the store will be packed."

The second amendment sales tax holiday includes guns, ammo, archery equipment and other accessories will get the deduction. Items like camo, clothing, ATVs and boats are excluded.

"With dove season opening Saturday, we've got a lot of shotguns that are put up for customers that are going to put up for customers that are going to come in tomorrow morning and pick them up," noted Sarotte. "That way they'll have their new gun for dove season but they'll save their sales tax buying it."

But let's put it into perspective. Just last month, Mississippians got a tax break on clothes and shoes. But it was only for items $100 dollars or less. And while it lands just before back to school, school supplies aren't tax free.

"You can have one firearm and that's fine but everyone needs back to school supplies every year," said Travis Adair. "So, why? What's the point?

Yet for items this weekend, it's different.

"As long as it falls under the guidelines, any guns, scopes, ammo, archery equipment, doesn't matter what price tag," noted Sarotte.

"Why is it only less than 100 when you can get any firearm tax free?" asked Adair in reference to the comparison between the two tax free weekends. "That's ridiculous."

It's a question that's come up since it was originally passed in 2014. Lawmakers have said they plan to file a bill in January that would change the eligible Tax free items to include school supplies.

To view the eligible items for the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, click HERE.

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