Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 7-28-17

Local 2017 Back-To- School Sales Tax
Activist Urges Felons To Demand Rights
Holiday Planned
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
When an individual is convicted of a felony, he or she loses certain rights, including the right to vote and the right to possess a firearm. However, one Tampa woman feels that once a person has paid for his or her crime, the slate should be wiped clean.
Now, Ms. Joanna “Flava” Williams is encouraging felons to de- mand their rights. “If you work and pay taxes, then you should have a voice. You need to demand that your elected representatives fight for your rights to be restored.
“Once a person has completed whatever the courts order, whether it is jail or probation, his or her rights should be restored automatically. We should start planning now for the 2020 Million Felon March. It will take place during a presidential election year and it is a time to let your voices be heard.”
Ms. Williams further said that if a person has not had his or her rights restored, they cannot vote. However,
that person can encourage his or her family members to go to the polls and vote out those politicians who are not willing to fight for the rights of every- one.
She further said many people are not aware of the things felons must contend with while in jail. “People are charged for going to jail. They have to pay double for things like a pack of noodles because they are in jail. Once they are released from jail, they cannot find employment, housing, or vote. We must take control and let the politi- cians know how we feel.
“When people cannot find jobs, they are going to do whatever they have to, to survive. So, crime is going to go up. This is a national movement to end discrimination against felons. It’s time to end this hypocrisy and re- store democracy.”
Anyone wishing to contact Ms. Williams about restoring the rights of felons or about the upcoming Million Felon March can reach her at (813) 965-7991, or write to her at P. O. Box 172102, Tampa, FL 33672.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Earlier this year, Governor Rick Scott signed into law a three-day sales tax holiday. The “Sales Tax Holiday” will begin at 12:01 a.m., Friday, August 4, 2017, and end at midnight, Sunday, Au- gust 6, 2017.
The sales tax holiday will include such items as clothing, shoes, handbags, backpacks, and other items that cost $60 or less. It will also include pens, pencils, binders, lunchboxes, and other school supplies that cost $15 or less.
This year, computers that cost less than $750.00 will qualify for the “no sales tax” exemption. The taxes include clothing for the entire family and is not limited to school uniforms or clothing for children and teenagers.
Some of the items that qualify for the sales tax are: items for the hair, neck- wear, scarves, baby clothes, backpacks, belts, bibs, book bags, coats and wraps, dresses, jeans, leg warmers, shirts, uni-
forms, sports uniforms, underclothing, etc.
Some of the school supplies that can be purchased are binders, calculators, tape, colored pencils, compasses, com- position books, construction paper, crayons, folders, rulers, glue, high- lighters, legal pads, markers, notebooks, filler paper, scissors, etc.
During the designated weekend, merchants will not collect sales tax on qualified clothing items. The sales holi- day tax also applies to layaways. The ex- empt items can be placed on layaway or picked up during the weekend.
However, items such as computer paper, printer paper, staplers, or staples will be taxed.
Merchants will collect sales taxes on all computer-related items with the ex- ception of blank CDs.
Additionally, items purchased at theme parks, entertainment complexes, public lodging establishments, or air- ports do not qualify for the sales tax ex- emption.
PAGE 2-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017