Energy appliance sales tax holiday this Memorial Day weekend

Texans have an unusual opportunity to cash in not once, but twice on energy-efficient products this Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to an Energy Star sales tax holiday May 24-26, Texans will not only pay less for items designed to use less energy, they will also enjoy the cost-saving benefits of lower utility bills.

“Energy Star appliances translate into lower housing costs,” said Michael Gerber, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs executive director.

“The Energy Star sales tax holiday will help Texans save money by lowering the costs of energy-efficient appliances as well as lowering their monthly energy costs.”

According to the Energy Information Administration, if Texas families would replace their old appliances with Energy Star-rated appliances, they could cut their energy bills by about 30 percent.

The Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday applies to the following appliances and household equipment: air conditioners priced less than $6,000, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, refrigerators priced less than $2,000 and clothes washers, but not clothes dryers.

Shoppers are expected to save about $2.6 million in state and local sales taxes.

To qualify for the sales tax exemption, the Energy Star logo must appear on the appliance, the packaging or the Energy Guide label.

The tax break also applies to catalog or Internet sales of eligible products during Memorial Day weekend and to items placed on layaway or removed from layaway during that weekend. Details on the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday are available at www.win dow.state.tx.us.