The back- to-school- supply tax
The backto-schoolsupply tax Many states offer “tax holidays” for shoppers during the back-to-school season, but families everywhere still pay extra at the checkout counter due to hidden import taxes that increase the price of everything from sneakers to baseball caps. Here are import tax rates for some popular back-to-school items:
Tariff Rate: Cap: 7.5% Glasses: 2.5% Bubble gum: 4.0% Raincoat: 7.1%
T-shirt: 16.5% Backpack: 17.6% Ruler: 5.3% Pencil: 4.3%
Lunchbox: 20.0% Tuna: 12.5% Orange juice: 14.1% Potato chips: 6.4% Clarinet: 4.9% Jeans: 16.6% Source: United States International Trade Commission, USITC Tariff Database, at http://dataweb.usitc.gov/ scripts/tariff_current.asp (August 16, 2010).
Socks: 13.5% Tennis shoes: 20.0%
214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE • Washington, DC 20002 • (202) 546-4400 • heritage.org
Tariff Rate: Cap: 7.5% Glasses: 2.5% Bubble gum: 4.0% Raincoat: 7.1%
T-shirt: 16.5% Backpack: 17.6% Ruler: 5.3% Pencil: 4.3%
Lunchbox: 20.0% Tuna: 12.5% Orange juice: 14.1% Potato chips: 6.4% Clarinet: 4.9% Jeans: 16.6% Source: United States International Trade Commission, USITC Tariff Database, at http://dataweb.usitc.gov/ scripts/tariff_current.asp (August 16, 2010).
Socks: 13.5% Tennis shoes: 20.0%
214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE • Washington, DC 20002 • (202) 546-4400 • heritage.org
