Go green, save green: Georgia has three-day "green" tax holiday

Buy an energy- or water-efficient appliance, light bulb, showerhead or other household product today through Sunday in Georgia and you won't pay any sales tax.

The deal comes under the state's three-day "green" tax holiday, which covers the purchase of household consumer appliances and products with the Energy Star and WaterSense labels and a price of $1,500 or less.

Lamar Bramblett, the owner of 2A Appliance on Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, said he hasn't had people call or come in and ask about the sales-tax holiday.

"Don't think it's probably been advertised that much," said Bramblett, who sells a range of kitchen and laundry appliances. "Business has been slow because of the economy."

But when they do come in, customers often consider an appliance's energy efficiency rating, he said.

"They do; they do," Bramblett said. "They're trying to save money any way they can."

Andy Wallin, assistant manager of the Sears Hometown Store in LaFayette, Ga., expects customers to take advantage of the sales-tax free weekend, which his store has advertised in newspaper circulars.

"Everybody wants to save money," Wallin said. "This year, people's hearing about it."

Georgia suspended the green sales-tax holiday last year because of concerns about falling state revenue during the sagging economy. It was reinstated this year under the Georgia Jobs and Family Tax Reform Plan.

"I encourage everyone to ... save money and, ultimately, conserve Georgia's resources," Gov. Nathan Deal stated in a news release.