Oklahoma merchants battle Texas' sales tax holiday

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Some Oklahoma merchants will pay their customers' sales taxes next month as they wage their annual battle against Texas' popular sales tax holiday. <br/><br/>The event, scheduled

Sunday, July 24th 2005, 2:36 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Some Oklahoma merchants will pay their customers' sales taxes next month as they wage their annual battle against Texas' popular sales tax holiday.

The event, scheduled August 4th thru the 7th, draws thousands of Oklahomans to stores in Texas where back-to-school clothing and shoes up to $100 per item are tax exempt.

Merchants in the southern part of the state near the Texas border began fighting back four years ago by paying sales taxes themselves.

Lisa Johnson, manager of Jimmy's Western Wear in Ardmore, says merchants will pay their customers' taxes whether they spend $50 or $500. And it doesn't matter if it's on something other than shoes or clothing.

Proposals to enact a statewide sales tax holiday in Oklahoma have repeatedly failed in the Legislature.