Every little bit helps

Through Sunday, Alabama shoppers can enjoy tax-free spending.

Well, sort of; it’s not a wholesale exemption for every thing offered for sale.

This is the weekend the state has set aside to suspend collection of state sales tax on certain items necessary to prepare youngsters for the new school year. These include clothing, computers, school supplies, books, art supplies and instructional materials. It’s likely to be a nightmare for retailers because the program, like most products of government bureaucracy, is laden with a maddening array of exemptions, exclusions and limitations.

Regardless, the tax holiday offers a respite for parents, particularly those who have multiple students to prepare for the new year. Most cities and counties are participating as well, giving shoppers an even greater break.

Whether the tax holiday will cause an increase in spending remains to be seen; it’s logical to assume that parents would shop for school clothes and supplies regardless of the sales tax.

However, what shoppers save on sales tax this weekend will likely be spent on other things while they’re out shopping.

Every little bit helps, especially in this economy.