Sales Tax Holiday Weekend Set For August 13-14

BOSTON (AP) -- Shoppers looking for a deal can begin plotting their purchases for the weekend of Aug. 13-14.

Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a bill creating another sales tax holiday in Massachusetts.

House and Senate lawmakers had previously approved the measure suspending the state's 6.25 percent sales tax on just about anything sold for less than $2,500.

Retailers say the holiday boosts sales during a slow time of year, and helps families make much-needed purchases.

Critics of the holiday say it costs the state an estimated $20 million in tax revenue that could be used to fund services already facing cuts.

This would be the state's seventh tax holiday in the past eight years.

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