Lawmakers agree to Aug. 16-17 sales tax holiday
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Lawmakers opted to give shoppers a break from the state’s sales tax on the third weekend of August, under a compromise economic development bill.
Negotiators on the six-member conference committee opted to set August 16 and 17 as the dates for what has become an annual holiday from the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax. The holiday has traditionally taken place the second weekend of August and covered purchases less than $2,500.
The Senate had pushed for the weekend of Aug. 9 and 10, while the House had backed the third weekend. Retailers haven’t waited for lawmakers to compromise with some already running advertisements alerting shoppers that the weekend is coming up in August without specifying which weekend.
The compromise bill also gives Boston a set new number of liquor licenses and gives the mayor the authority to appoint his own licensing board, but does not eliminate the statewide cap for all other cities and towns, as the Senate and Gov. Deval Patrick proposed to do.
The economic development bill also:
• Creates a seafood marketing program fund within the Division of Marine Fisheries to support the state’s fishing and seafood industry;
• Establishes a 3-year entrepreneur-in-residence pilot program at centers within UMass Lowell and UMass Boston;
• Creates tax credits for “angel investors” and “off-Broadway” productions; and
• Updates the state’s definition of car-sharing, meaning Zipcar and similar companies do not have to charge a membership fee.
The bill also includes a “Big Data” innovation and workforce fund, a transformative development fund to provide equity investments and technical assistance to Gateway Cities, which include Worcester, Fitchburg and Leominster, and an advanced manufacturing and information technology trust fund for training and education programs.
The state’s Infrastructure Investment Incentive (I-cubed) program would undergo an expansion through an increase in total allowable program spending to $600 million from $325 million.
Also, the Massachusetts Sports Partnership is required to report on the feasibility of hosting a NASCAR event, according to the bill.
The compromise bill does not include a Senate-backed attempt to limit the use of non-compete employment agreements to six months and prohibit their use for hourly employees. Gov. Patrick had urged lawmakers to implement a complete ban, arguing that the employment restrictions hamper innovation and drive skilled technology workers out of state, but opponents suggest they can provide valuable protections for companies, particularly when used for high-level executives. The bill also proposes to adopt the Uniform Trade Secrets Act to protect propriety corporate information.
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