Massachusetts Governor Tries Again For An August Tax Holiday

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BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is giving an August sales tax holiday one last try.

The Republican governor on Wednesday filed a bill that would give shoppers a sales tax free weekend on August 19-20.

The rules would be the same as the last tax holidays: The tax would be removed only from items that cost less that $2,500.

Gov. Charlie Baker. (Photo Credit: Sara Runkel, Office of Governor Charlie Baker)

One roadblock is that the House and Senate are on August recess so the bill may not even come up for a vote in the Legislature. No formal sessions are on the calendar until after the Labor Day weekend.

Both houses could consider the bill during an informal session, but an objection by one member could kill the bill.

Baker's announcement comes one day after a state retailer's organization announced their ballot initiative to permanently reduce the sales tax and make sales tax holiday's permanent.

The business organization said in their statement that a sales tax holiday would keep Massachusetts businesses competitive with their neighbors to the north in New Hampshire which has no sales tax.

Their ballot question includes four different proposals:

— To reduce the sales to 5 percent.

— To reduce the sales tax to 5 percent and establish a permanent August sales tax holiday.

— To reduce the sales tax to 4.5 percent.

— To reduce the sales tax to 4.5 percent and establish a permanent August sales tax holiday.