If you went out and bought something today, a
shirt, a tie, or even a crystal and gold
pineapple, you paid a pinch of a penny more
with each dollar you spent because our sales
tax just went up.
Merchants tell us as they clicked out your
totals, most of you didn't mind the new 6.25%
tax rate.
Excuse me, Ma'am.
How much money have you spent in here today?
Oh, my goodness.
I just had a sale on a pair of shorts for $15
if my husband sees this.
Let's figure out how much more you spent, $15
times .025.
You have spent an extra ¢37 today.
How do you feel about that?
Well, if it's going to something worthwhile,
then I think it's just fine.
Merchants predict the increase will be fine,
even with those who would spend $35,000 on a watch.
A quarter of 1% has pretty low impact on them.
Consumers feeling the most impact, however, are
those paying the sin taxes.
On mixed drinks, the tax was 12%. Now it's 14%.
I need a pack of Capri's, regular.
And on cigarettes, the tax is now ¢41 per pack.
Oh, yeah, it'll bother me.
I figure if Benjamin's can't go so bad,
you know, then probably the black market
cigarettes will go.
About the only relief smokers have is the
vending machines.
Many of them still have the old prices.
But after tomorrow, that's sure to end as well.
Sherry Woodard, Texas News 5.