Richmond, VA - Today, former governor and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine reminded Virginians to take advantage of this weekend’s sales tax holiday on energy efficient appliances and products. From Friday, October 5 through Monday, October 8, Virginia consumers can save on qualified purchases thanks to legislation Kaine championed and signed into law in 2007.
“I encourage all Virginians to take advantage of this weekend’s sales tax holiday to save some money at the register and on their utility bills,” said Kaine. “By replacing older, inefficient appliances we can reduce our bills and our environmental impact. That’s why I promoted the idea as a candidate and, as governor, proudly signed the bill establishing the holiday. As we work towards energy independence, we have to take advantage of the low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency. The cheapest unit of energy is the one we don’t use, which is why I promoted efficiency measures in the first-ever energy plan for Virginia that I developed as governor. I also worked with the legislature to ensure utility companies get a return on investment for conservation and efficiency, not just new generation. These are the kinds of commonsense policies I will advocate as senator as part of a comprehensive energy policy that uses all domestic sources in cleaner ways while developing alternatives and encouraging conservation.”
In 2007, Kaine signed legislation establishing the first four-day sales tax holiday for ENERGY STAR certified products. In the first year, Virginians saved an estimated $166,000 at the register and thousands more through reduced utility bills. The next year the program expanded to include WaterSense certified products. More information on the sales tax holiday, including a full list of eligible products, is available from the Virginia Department of Taxation.
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