Tulsa mall holding a 'Same As Tax Free' weekend

Between the President's tax rebate and the upcoming Vision vote, everybody's talking about taxes. <br><br>One Tulsa mall has a plan to set shoppers free from taxes, if only for one weekend. News

Thursday, July 31st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Between the President's tax rebate and the upcoming Vision vote, everybody's talking about taxes.

One Tulsa mall has a plan to set shoppers free from taxes, if only for one weekend. News on 6 business reporter Steve Berg visited Promenade Mall and says think of the Promenade as its own little country this weekend, where they've "sort of" found a way around paying taxes.

Before you alert the IRS, here's the deal. It's not tax free. It's called the "Same as Tax Free" weekend. Participating stores will give you a discount on the price equal to the sales tax, which is about 8% in Tulsa. Some places are even offering up to 20%.

Tara Cone with Promenade Mall, "It will be a savings up to 10% sometimes more depending on what store is participating." Needless to say, shoppers like the idea, especially in places with the highest sales taxes.

Shopper Mike Conrad, "I'm from Claremore and it's a lot higher there than it is in Tulsa, it would be a lot cheaper for me to come here and do my shopping than in Claremore." The mall got the idea from the well-known Texas tax-free weekend.

Cone, "Texas has a tax-free weekend that they do every year, and it's the entire state of Texas. Oklahoma did not get on board with that so we thought we would take advantage of the merchants we have here and get the same tax break that they did."

Shopper Dolores Bowman, "that would be wonderful, in fact we had that conversation the other day that we should go to Dallas and go school shopping."

This way, the mall says, people shouldn't have to drive as far. This promotion is on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Stores that are participating will have a sticker in their window. The mall will also have a list at all the mall entrances.