The summer vacation clock is counting down. That means kids are complaining about going back to school and parents are worrying about the cost to send the youngsters to class adequately equipped.

But that financial fretting might be alleviated somewhat for consumers in 15 states and the District of Columbia, where tax-free shopping events will soon be held.

These so-called tax-free holidays are annual fixtures in a handful of jurisdictions, as tax collectors take a brief, legislatively mandated break from collecting the state sales levy on select items -- usually back-to-school supplies and clothing.

Most of the events are in early August and last anywhere from a couple of days to more than a week. In many cases, local tax officials also forgo collection of their additional sales-tax assessments.

Financial challenges in some states, however, are forcing some to halt these popular tax holidays. Last year, Florida held two sales-tax-free holidays, one in the spring to encourage residents to buy hurricane season supplies and a second during late summer's prime back-to-school shopping period. Sunshine State shoppers get neither in 2008.

Similarly, budget constraints prompted Maryland to suspend its annual August back-to-school holiday last year.

While those two states aren't on the 2008 tax holiday calendar, West Virginia has joined the list. The Mountain State, however, is keying the weeklong event in August to energy conservation. A couple of other states that are holding typical back-to-school tax-exempt holidays also have added conservation-related tax holidays a bit later in the year.

South Carolina will reward its residents with multiple tax-free holidays this year, but its second event is unique. Starting this November, each Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving will be the annual Second Amendment Sales-Tax Holiday. State officials will provide more details as the inaugural event nears, but the basic rules call for no tax on purchases of handguns, rifles and shotguns.

Even if your state offers just one tax-free holiday, you might find some very generous savings. You can get a computer that costs up to $3,500 and not face sales taxes on it in Missouri and North Carolina.

Benefit or budget buster?
Shoppers and politicians love tax holidays. Retailers find them a mixed blessing, bringing in some additional customers, but adding to a business's administrative costs. Many economists question whether such events are appropriate tax policy.

It is true that consumers can save some money by shopping wisely during the tax-break period. But the special shopping holiday could also end up costing shoppers if they spend more than they normally would just to save a few tax dollars.

The costs could be even greater if a shopper puts tax-holiday purchases on a credit card and then carries that amount over several months, accruing interest charges that essentially negate any initial sales-tax savings.

Curtis Dubay is a senior associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the metro Atlanta area and a former analyst with the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization based in Washington, D.C. He says that politicians and consumers are equally enamored of tax holidays. Shoppers get a bit of savings, and lawmakers can say they are doing something to help working families.