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Effective on Friday, March 1, clothing and footwear under $110 purchased in Putnam County will be exempt from sales tax for two years, officials announced.
The exemption comes thanks to a piece of legislation signed into law by Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne in 2023. The legislation was passed unanimously by the County Legislature in November as part of a series of initiatives in the 2024 County Budget.
The exemption is expected to equate to a $3 million per year tax cut. During the two years it is in effect, the county will evaluate the fiscal impact and will have the option to renew it in 2026, officials said.
Byrne said the exemption would give consumers benefits to shopping in Putnam compared to other places.
"For the first time, it’s going to be cheaper to shop here in Putnam for clothes and shoes than it will be to go to Westchester, or Danbury," Byrne said, adding, "At a time when inflation is still a major problem, county government must do its part to help out. Sales tax on needed goods like these are inherently regressive, disproportionately harming those most economically vulnerable. "
"To many residents, that 4% tax on a new pair of shoes doesn’t seem like much, but to the single mom it could mean being able to afford an extra onesie for her child," Byrne continued.
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