Tax-Free Weekend

I’m going to buy a bunch of stuff this weekend…and probably a chainsaw.

You may or may not know that today marks the start of Virginia’s Annual Tax-Free Weekend aka 3-Day Sales Tax Holiday. In an effort to help families and kickstart the back-to-school shopping season, the Virginia General Assembly first passed a Sales Tax Holiday in 2006. Unlike other tax laws, it was set to expire in 2022. It passed again and now it’s set to expire in 2030.

You also may not know that two other categories of tax-free products have also been added; hurricane supplies and energy-saving appliances. The full list is here. But essentially, it says that you can get school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products without paying sales tax.

With two adult kids, one finishing college at JMU, I’m not fighting the crowds at Walmart to stock up on spiral notebooks and No. 2 pencils, but there’s a few things on the list that I plan on taking advantage of. I don’t really need a chainsaw, but if I can get one tax-free, why not?

I’m a news junkie, so I read everything, but surprisingly I haven’t seen much in the news. You’d think that we’d all want to know about this – after all, Americans love a deal and we hate paying taxes.

The big reason you haven’t heard about this is because it’s good news. And good news never leads the coverage. The news is, by its very nature, almost entirely bad news, and we’ve had plenty of bad news lately to occupy our attention. Political turmoil, an assassination attempt, drone strikes, price hikes…not to mention wars, disease, and pestilence. So it’s not your fault this tiny bit of good news has gone unnoticed. That’s why I try to bring you a bit of good news each week. Thanks for reading the Weekly Report.

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Here are a few more bits of good news from the Madison+Main-iacs!

MONDAY:

WHAT’S THE WORST IDEA YOU’VE EVER HAD?

The brain is technically not a muscle, but just like any other muscle, you need to exercise it. So before a creative concept session, I try to get the team on board through a series of creative exercises. Monday was “What’s the worst thing you can think of?” It is a fun warm-up exercise to get those creative juices flowing. There’s no such thing as a bad idea…well, actually, there are plenty. Next time you have a brainstorming session, try spending the first 10 minutes trying to come up with really, really bad ideas.

TUESDAY:

DEREK IN THE HERD

Ya Herd that right! Our newly dubbed Senior Copywriting Manager, Derek Fair, received a shout-out in Richmond BizSense’s The Herd for his recent promotion. Somebody play “Smooth” by Santana ft. Rob Thomas because that’s how Derek has handled the transition into his new role. Way to go, dude!

WEDNESDAY:

PHOTOSHOOT AT THE TEXAS INN

Say Cheesy! Account Executive Brandon Segres, Copywriter Lauren McKinney, and Sr. Graphic Designer AJ Stuit met up at The Texas Inn to capture perfection on camera (take pictures of Cheesy Westerns and other delectable grub). All three have gone on to say that the models of this shoot could’ve won America’s Next Top Model had they not been eaten immediately after being photographed.

THURSDAY:

WRAP SESH

We told you it was just the beginning! On Thursday, we presented two concepts for a new campaign intended to help combat drunk driving and keep Virginians safer on the road, both to our client at the Washington Regional Alcohol Program and the folks at the DMV. They picked a concept, after a long deliberation, and we’re ready to roll! Keep an eye out to see what we’re creating.

FRIDAY:

LEVEL UP FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES

Leveling up for a safer community requires teamwork. Our creative team created these posters for schools across the Commonwealth to promote the Office of the Attorney General’s Ceasefire Virginia initiative and encourage kids to turn away from violence. To learn more about the initiative and resources in your community, visit ceasefirevirginia.org.

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS

Now through Aug. 4:

Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier at the VMFA

200 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA

Sunday – Tuesday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Travel back in time at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts with an awe-inspiring look at Japan’s exquisitely crafted samurai armor, from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller collection.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.“ — Nelson Mandela