San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
It’s back to school for kids and to the stores for parents
Today is the final day of the state’s sales tax holiday on school supplies.
The words “back to school” can stir anxiety in the minds of students and parents, but they also open the door to savings on classroom supplies and certain types of clothes that are taxexempt this weekend.
Today is the final day of the threeday sales tax holiday, projected by the Texas Comptroller’s Office to have saved consumers $90.3 million in state and local sales taxes. Since 1999, the annual tax-free weekend has been a time for families and thrifty consumers to hit the stores, while others steer clear to avoid the retail crunch. Since many stores now provide the 8.25 percent tax exemption through online purchases, many say the crowds aren’t as thick as in years past.
Deykaris Villarreal was among parents at the Target store near Bandera Road and Loop 1604 on Saturday, gathering school supplies and clothes for two of her children, ages 9 and 7, with her 3-year-old sitting in the shop- ping cart. She expected to spend $300 by day’s end — saving at least $25.
“Sometimes I’ll come out early, if I want to beat the crowds,” she said. “First, I look at the ads and see what’s on sale.”
Holly Videan, buying clothes for her grandsons, ages 10 and 7, also capitalized on the tax holiday. But she empathized with parents of children in the San Antonio Independent School District who start school Monday — two weeks before her boys will begin classes in the Northside Independent School District.
“For some people, it would be nice if it were earlier,” she said. “But it’s helpful. Anything that relieves the cost makes a difference. I wish they’d had this when I was in school.”
Because August is hot, many parents don’t think to purchase fall clothes, Videan said. She suggested a more limited tax holiday in November, to give parents a break on fall and winter apparel for school. That would beckon her back to the stores.
landers on the surface.”
Astrobotic’s technology “will assist NASA in dramatically improving the performance of lunar and planetary landing missions,” he added.
Another project of note, Reuter said, is Californiabased Frontier Aerospace Corp.’s project, which will receive $1.9 million. The project will advance the company’s Deep Space Engine as part of its lunar lander mission (called Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander) planned for 2020.
Each of the six companies are required to contribute at least 25 percent of the projects’ costs. The rest of the projects are as follows:
3 million to Blue Origin to continue development of technologies that will allow for a precise and soft landing on the moon.
2 million to Californiabased Space Systems/ Loral LLC, (SSL) to advance technologies for robotic refueling of payloads.
2 million to SSL to develop faster, more efficient propulsion capabilities.
2 million to ULA to prove that a low cryogenic fuel boil off is possible on long duration missions.
1.9 million to ULA to demonstrate midair retrieval on a vehicle returning to Earth from orbital velocity.
1.6 million to Arizonabased Paragon Space Development Corp. to develop a Cryogenic Encapsulating Launch Shroud and Insulated Upper Stage (CELSIUS) that could provide enhanced insulation and protection from debris.
“While these key technologies will support NASA’s science and human exploration missions in the future, these awards are yet another example of NASA’s commitment to our nation’s growing commercial space industry today,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.