January Savings

January, as all good shoppers know, is one of the year's best months for bargain-hunting, and this January could turn out to be the best of the best, at least for residents of Suffolk and Nassau Counties and of New York City.

To help boost sales during a traditionally slow retail period, the State Legislature, together with the County Legislatures and the New York City Council, has waived sales taxes for one week, starting Saturday, on personal clothing or shoe purchases up to $500. That could translate into instant savings of more than $40 for shoppers who actually need what they buy, and a windfall, it is hoped, for shopkeepers.

This is one government action that nobody would want to oppose. (And a good place to start is right here in The Star, on our "January Sales" pages.)