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(Broadview, IL) – Governor JB Pritzker and Village of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson joined lawmakers, teachers, students, and parents in Broadview on Thursday to encourage Broadview and all Illinois families to take advantage of Illinois’ Back-to-School tax holiday that begins on August 5 and continues through August 14.

The 10-day sales tax holiday – the first for Illinois in over a decade - aims to save Illinois families $50 million on school supplies.

“Our parents shouldn’t have to choose between buying essential school supplies for their children and putting food on the kitchen table,” said Pritzker, who appeared with Thompson at Roosevelt Elementary School in Broadview. “Back to school should be as stress free as possible for working families and their children, and this tax holiday will help remove some of that burden.”

Beginning August 5th, the state sales tax on school supplies will drop from 6.25% to 1.25%. Eligible items include qualifying clothing and footwear such as school uniforms, coats, sneakers, rainwear, and winter gear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item. Eligible school supplies including book bags, calculators, and other items used by students for studying are not subject to the $125 threshold.

“With inflation biting into working family budgets from gas to groceries, buying school supplies for a child or multiple children is a significant family expenditure for parents who are surviving check-to-check,” said Thompson. “That’s why Illinois’ sales tax holiday for school supplies matters deeply to Broadview families, because if a Broadview family can save $30 on a purchase, that’s a lot of money for people in this community.”

A Deloitte survey estimated that parents and guardians spend an average of $661 per child during the back to school shopping season. With inflation continuing to impact the lives of Illinoisans across the state, the sales tax holiday will allow Illinois families to shop for back to school supplies at a lower cost, reducing expenses during a high-spend time for most families.

Teachers are also able to take advantage of the tax holiday, saving money on classroom supplies including blackboard chalk, binders, index cards, writing tablets, and more. Teachers can also receive an income tax credit up to $250 for school supplies purchased for their classrooms.

“Because the Back-to-School tax holiday will provide a real financial benefit to Broadview parents, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Governor Pritzker, State Senator Mike Hastings, Speaker Chris Welch, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford and the other lawmakers who delivered this tax relief to Broadview and all Illinois families,” said Thompson. “This will ease the Back-to-School financial burden on parents.”

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