NBC晚间新闻 美国开学季减税促消费

States offer tax breaks for back to school shoppers

美国政府给返学季的孩子减税。

Back to school shopping is the second biggest retail¹ event behind Christmas sales, and a growing number of states are offering a sales-tax break on school supplies as an incentive² to spend. NBC’s Rehema Ellis reports.

返学季购物是仅次于圣诞节购物的第二大零售高峰，很多州提供文具减税刺激消费。NBC的Rehema Ellis报道。

It's the start of August and a back-to-school ritual has begun. The annual shopping spree for school supply that's can cost hundreds of dollars. To make it a little easier, more states are offering breaks on the sales tax, but is this good policy? We get more tonight from NBC's chief education correspondent, Rehema Ellis.

reporter: It's that time of year again.

Get one of these.

reporter: All across the country, moms and dads are crowding the stores to stock up on school supplies. Getting their little ones ready to go back to school.

We tried to get here as early as we could to avoid the craziness.

Two weeks out I start saving and looking for deals.

It is very surprising how much we spend.

reporter: Terri is shopping for three today.

Tough in the economy right now. I expect today for three students, we would probably be around 150 dollars range.

reporter: The pencils, pens and binders³ can quickly add up, which is why some states are giving parents a break from paying the sales tax. At least 17 states are waiving⁴ the tax on school supplies and clothing, 12 states doing so this weekend.

It makes a difference when you're spending a chunk⁵ of money. Any little bit you can save.

reporter: The discounts on the tax break all benefit the consumer, but can the states really afford to lose the rove knew right now? There's a real risk that six to 12 months from now the revenues gone today will be sorely missed because of slower economic growth.

reporter: States do lose out on potentially millions of dollars in sales tax revenue very hard to recoup. And once the states start a sales tax holiday it becomes very popular with the consumer it's very hard for the states to pull back on it.

reporter: Especially when shoppers are watching the bottom line and tightening⁶ those purse strings⁷. The average family will spend around $635 this year, down almost 8% from about $688 last year.

The name of the game for parents this year really is reuse what you can and of course buy what you need. They're going to spend with practicality and cost in mind.

As a mom, I feel like that's my job to save where we can, whether it be buying in bulk or recycling and things like that.

reporter: And hoping that those sales tax breaks will return the next school year. Rehema Ellis, NBC news, Orlando, Florida.

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

3 binders   

n.（司机行话）刹车器；（书籍的）装订机( binder的名词复数 )；（购买不动产时包括预付订金在内的）保证书；割捆机；活页封面

参考例句：

• Propellant binders based on these materials have excellent mechanical properties and good performance. 用这些材料制成的推进粘结剂的工作性能很好，而机械性能则更为突出。 来自辞典例句
• The and inferior binders fabrication process has become much more important. 黏合剂制作工艺优劣显得更加重要。 来自互联网

4 waiving   

v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• Other steps suggested included waiving late payment charges, making quicker loan decisions and easing loan terms. 其他测试还包括免去滞纳金，尽快做出贷款决定和放宽贷款条件。 来自互联网
• Stuyvesant Town offers the same perk on some apartments, along waiving the broker's fee. StuyvesantTown对于他们出租的某些房子也提供同样的好处，顺带还省略了中介费。 来自互联网

5 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

6 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

7 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。