School supplies would be exempt from sales tax under Minnesota Senate proposal
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota families could see a tax break when their kids go back to school under a proposal up for consideration in the state Senate.
The legislation, pitched by Republican Sen. Julia Coleman of Waconia, would exempt school supplies like notebooks, pencils, pens, backpacks, calculators and more from sales tax, joining clothes, groceries and pharmaceutical drugs that don't face the surcharge.
Coleman told the Senate Taxes Committee Wednesday that parents can spend on average $300 per child for what they need for the classroom. With a state sales tax rate of 6.875%, an exemption would mean more than $20 in savings on that purchase.
There are also local sales taxes in parts of Minnesota in places like Minneapolis and St. Paul, bringing the total closer to 10%.
"I quick did the math in my head with my boys heading into kindergarten, and families that look like mine, we're looking at almost $1,000 a year on school supplies," she said. "So I think this is one small way the state can try to help out parents with these costs."
She added that she's working on an amendment that would make clear that businesses buying similar supplies for the offices would not be covered by this sales tax carveout. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a larger tax package at the end of the session.
Corey Gordon, CEO of the Kids in Need Foundation, a national organization in Roseville, said it provides up to $75 million in free school supplies across the U.S. for children in underserved communities.
Gordon endorsed the bill and said surveys show there is a 99% improvement in class participation when kids have what they need to learn. In the schools the foundation supports, two in three students show up on the first day with no supplies at all.
Baby products like diapers, breast pumps and pacifiers are also exempt from sales taxes. Another bill from Coleman would've expanded it to include cribs and strollers, but that didn't clear the finish line two years ago. She intends to introduce the measure again.
