March 1, 2017 Sales Tax Rate Changes

sales tax changes March 2017

sales tax changes March 2017

There are a few tax rate changes effective March 1, 2017.

Would you be surprised if I said there was a rate change in Alabama?  No?  Probably because Alabama has the distinct honor of having the most sales and or use tax changes 36 month period.  This month is no exception!

• Alabama: The sales tax rate changed for the localities of Foley and Hanceville.
  

  ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD FITZPATRICK

• Georgia: The total sales tax rate inside the City of Atlanta will change from 8% to 8.5%.

The great City of Atlanta is seeing a rate increase, not just this month, but another one scheduled for April.  The total current sales tax rate (prior to March 1) within the City of Atlanta is 8 percent. The rate is comprised of a 4 percent state sales tax rate, a 3 percent Fulton County sales tax rate, and a 1 percent Water and Sewer Projects and Cost Tax (commonly known as Municipal Option Sales Tax or MOST). On November 8, 2016 the electorate of the City of Atlanta voted to levy the Atlanta MARTA Sales Tax at a rate of 0.5 percent beginning March 1, 2017.  Starting April 1, there will also be an increase of .4 percent in the City’s Transportation Special Purpose Local-option sales tax or TSPLOST.But don;t worry, I will remind you of that in next month’s tax changes blog.  For more information, here is a link to the Policy Bulletin SUT-2017-01.

• South Carolina: Darlington County (code 5161) and Kershaw (code 5281) added a new local 1% Education Capital Improvement Tax.  Watch for more counties to implement the same in May.  Don’t worry, I’ll let you know which ones and when.  But if you can’t wait, here is a link to the official notice.

Okay, I think that’s it for March 1st tax changes, so let’s see what’s new in USPS ZIP codes.

There were 16 states with ZIP code changes effective after February 2017

• Arkansas
• California
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Utah

B.D. French, Zip2Tax Research Assistant