Sales Tax Holiday coming in Sept.

CHARLESTON -- West Virginians can take advantage of an energy Sales Tax Holiday in September.

Effective Sept. 1-7, state residents will not have to pay sales and use tax on certain ENERGY STAR qualified products valued at $2,500 or less. Tangible personal property for use in a trade or business is not subject to this Sales Tax Holiday.

"The ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday allows consumers to save at the register and in the long run because the qualified products can help your home run on less energy and that means a lower power bill," said State Tax Commissioner Christopher G. Morris.

According to a release from ENERGY STAR, Americans saved enough energy through last year's program to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars -- all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills.

To prepare for the statewide ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday, all West Virginia businesses who sell ENERGY STAR products should prepare for tax free sales of products priced at $2,500 or less and bearing the ENERGY STAR label from Sept. 1-7.

Purchases qualify for the sales and use tax holiday if the purchase is for a product that has: Earned the ENERGY STAR, costs $2,500 or less, and is for noncommercial home or personal use.

Qualified ENERGY STAR products include clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, room air conditioners and room air cleaners.

Also included are battery charging systems, digital-to-analog converter boxes, cordless phones, combination units, DVD products, external power adapters, home audio, televisions, VCRs, compact fluorescent light bulbs and fixtures. For a more detailed list of ENERGY STAR products visit www.energystar.gov.