The National Retail Federation (NRF) has asked President Obama to incorporate a series of national sales tax holidays into the upcoming economic stimulus legislation. The letter, submitted prior to the inauguration, was described by the NRF as an important step toward rebuilding consumer confidence. Short term gains from consumer spending and long term growth from job creation are both needed to achieve economic recovery, according to the letter.

"We urge you to act quickly on legislation to help stimulate consumer spending as one of the first priorities of your new administration," NRF said in the letter. "To be effective, any fiscal stimulus package must be enacted with great speed. It must be substantial. And it must be sustained. To accomplish this, the plan must include a longer term investment designed to produce sustained economic growth through job creation, as well as short term economic stimulus aimed at increasing consumer spending."

"The situation is critical," the letter said, noting the continuing slide in consumer confidence in the waning months of 2008. "This is due to a disastrous combination of decreasing home values, increasing unemployment, reduced availability of credit, failures of major companies, and weakness in the stock market. Moreover, it does not appear that these concerns will abate any time soon. With consumer spending accounting for 70 percent of GDP, it is difficult to foresee an improvement in overall economic growth until consumers regain their footing."

"Retailers' considerable experience with sales tax holidays has shown that they provide a substantial inducement for people to shop," the letter continued. "To this end, we suggest a series of three national sales tax holidays that would cover a very broad range of goods."

NRF proposed that tax holidays be held during March, July and October 2009, each lasting 10 days, including two weekends. Tax free treatment would apply to all tangible goods subject to a state sales tax, ranging from apparel and home furnishings to restaurant dining and automobiles, but would exclude tobacco and alcohol.

Under the NRF proposal, the federal government would reimburse the 45 states that have sales taxes for the lost revenue, and would provide the five states without a sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon) with revenue approximating the sales tax reimbursement that would be received by states with similar population. State sales tax rates range from 2.9 to 7.25 percent and add $236 billion a year to the amount U.S. consumers pay for goods and services, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

By temporarily lifting the sales tax for the three 10 day periods, NRF estimates that consumers could save nearly $20 billion. Based on the 112.4 million households in the United States, the figure would amount to almost $175 for the average family. In addition to saving consumers money, the sales tax holidays would help support the 25 million jobs in the U.S. retail industry. That amounts to one out of every five U.S. workers and millions of jobs in industries that supply retailers with merchandise and services.

A number of states hold sales tax holidays each year, primarily in the summer to help families with the cost of school supplies. Retailers have found the events prove highly popular with consumers, said NRF. A survey conducted by NRF when a national sales tax holiday was considered in 2001 found that 82 percent of consumers favored a tax holiday, 83 percent would take advantage by making purchases, and 69 percent would make purchases they otherwise would not have made.

Others who signed the letter were NRF chairman, Myron E. Ullman III, who is also chairman and CEO of JCPenney Company; NRF first vice chairman, Philip L. Francis, who is also chairman and CEO of PetSmart Inc., and NRF Second vice chairman, Stephen I. Sadove, chairman and CEO of Saks Inc.