TMCnet News
Tax-free weekend draws Las Cruces crowdsLAS CRUCES, Aug 03, 2012 (Las Cruces Sun-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- As Las Cruces store managers expected, school supplies and children's clothing flew off the shelves Friday, the first day of the state's tax-free weekend. "It's been steady, and we expect it to be steady throughout the weekend," said Target manager Jacob Hauptman. "Boys and girls clothing and school supplies have been selling most, as we anticipated. We have a ton of staff here this weekend to get out in the store and help customers find what they're looking for and (to prepare for the weekend) we just make sure the shelves are stocked with products people need." Tax-free weekend, when the state suspends the collection of gross receipts tax on sales of qualifying items, rang in at 12:01 a.m. Friday and will run through 11:59 p.m. Sunday night. "I do it (tax-free weekend) when I can. If it gets too packed or too crazy, I'll leave," said Target shopper Katina Ridley, whose cart was full of school supplies for her two daughters. "I think it's a great thing in New Mexico. It's helpful to the families and gives you an opportunity to shop," said Debbie Zamora, who was also shopping in the school supply aisles, with her daughter Aitiana. "We buy clothes, shoes, and stuff for school," said Aitiana, who will be a junior at Las Cruces High School this year. Target, 2541 E. Lohman Ave., is one of many stores offering deals over the weekend. Along with having multiple tax-free offers, JCPenney stores across the country, including in Las Cruces, will offer free haircuts for students in kindergarten through sixth grade through the entire month of August. If you don't get all your tax-free school shopping done this weekend, you can head to El Paso Aug. 17-19 for the Texas version. Matlin Smith can be reached at (575) 541-5468; follow her on Twitter @msmith_lcsun. If you shop -- Tax-free weekend continues today, ending just before midnight Sunday. -- To see a list of what is and is not taxable, go online to tax.newmexico.gov and click on the link in the middle when it scrolls to tax free holiday. -- To qualify, school supplies normally used by students must be priced less than $30 per unit for notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, etc.; less than $100 per unit for bookbags, backpacks, maps and globes; less than $200 handheld calculators. -- Clothing or shoes must be priced at less than $100 per unit. The price limit for desktop, laptop or notebook computers is $1,000, and for related computer hardware, it is $500. -- In Texas, tax-free weekend is Aug. 17-19. ___ (c)2012 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |