Oklahoma Shoppers, Merchants Prepare For Tax Holiday

George and Tasha Willson have a new family tradition on the first weekend of August -- shopping.

The Willsons of Broken Arrow are among thousands of Oklahomans who are expected to crowd retail stores and shopping malls during Oklahoma's three-day back-to-school sales-tax holiday.

The holiday begins Friday and ends Sunday at midnight. It exempts from state and local taxes any article of clothing or footwear with a sales price of less than $100.

The sales-tax holiday has been in effect since 2007 and is similar to events in more than a dozen other states. The Oklahoma Tax Commission says Oklahoma shoppers saved almost $7 million in sales taxes during last year's holiday weekend.

The Willsons estimate they will spend up to $500 on clothing and shoes for their children.