State Senator Andrew Gounardes Introduces Bill Creating Sales Tax Holiday for School Supplies

Albany, NY – Today, State Senator Andrew Gounardes introduced S4744, which would exempt basic school supplies from sales tax in the lead up to Labor Day, as families are undertaking their back-to-school shopping. Should the bill become law, families could see savings of nearly 10% on essential items like pencils, notebooks, gluesticks, and more. 

As the cost of living continues to rise across the country, enacting a sales tax holiday is a straightforward and efficient way to ease parents’ financial burdens. Like many other basic necessities, school supplies have only increased in price: according to a National Retail Federation the average planned back-to-school spending per household has increased by 68% in 2022 – and over $230 per household in the past decade. At the same time, real wages have not kept up with rising prices, leaving many families behind.

“Ensuring New York’s working families have what they need to make ends meet is a top priority for me,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “But from Brooklyn to Buffalo, families are struggling. We must meet this moment of rising unaffordability with legislation to ease their burden, and ensure all young New Yorkers can take their places in classrooms this fall equipped with everything they need to succeed.”

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