SEQUIM –– Purchases will be 7.8 percent cheaper at several merchants downtown Monday as owners waive charging customers sales tax in honor of the federal income tax deadline.
“Since April 15 is Tax Day, we figured everybody would be sick of paying taxes,” said Diane Fatzinger at the Clallam Co-Op.
“So we thought it would be a good idea to pay the sales tax on all sales that happen that day.”
Twelve downtown businesses have signed up to sign off on sales taxes.
The co-op has paid customers’ sales taxes on Tax Day for years, Fatzinger said, and it’s been one of their busiest days.
“People just kind of like getting a break on a day when they’re not big fans of taxes,” she said.
Shelli Robb-Kahler, executive director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the Sequim Downtown Merchants Group decided to expand the initiative elsewhere in the city.
Stores will still pay the sales taxes of that day’s sales as they would any day. The difference is that the cost won’t be charged to customers.
“The business owners still have to pay the taxes,” Robb-Kahler said.
“It just doesn’t show up at the register.”
Those participating will have signs in their windows or on doors to indicate they are picking up the government tab.
On the list are Pacific Mist Books, Sequim’s Sunshine Cafe, Purple Haze Lander Gift Shop, Over the Fence, Wind Rose Cellars, Solar City’s Tesa Boutique & Tanning Retreat, Pondicherri, The Co-op Farm & Garden, The UPS Store, R&T Crystals & Beads, That Takes the Cake and A Dropped Stitch.