👋 Say goodbye to the state sales tax

It’s Thursday, Boston.

🎧 Need a podcast rec? Say More with Shirley Leung is Globe Opinion’s latest listen exploring the big debates and ideas of our time. And this week’s guest is Love Letters advice columnist Meredith Goldstein, who has fielded every relationship question imaginable for nearly 15 years. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• We have a budget!

• It’s almost election szn

• P!nk’s youngest fan

Up first...

SHOPPING

If it’s tax free, it’s for me

It’s almost that time of year when Massachusetts feels a little more like New Hampshire, a.k.a., the sales tax holiday.

On August 12 and 13, shoppers can save 6.25% on items up to $2,500. But not everything is eligible for the deal.

Here’s what to know:

🧍 The tax break only applies to items bought for personal use. So if you’re hoping to buy something as a business or you're an individual buying something for your business, you’ll have to sit this one out.

⛔ You can’t save on everything. Just think of it this way: If you’re in a mall, any item outside of the food court (as long as it’s $2,500 or less) is probably fair game. Meals, motor vehicles, motorboats, telecommunications services, gas, steam, electricity, tobacco products, marijuana products, and alcohol are all on the no-no list.

💸 The most you can save on one item is $156.25. That’s 6.25% of $2,500. You can also combine as many items you want, tax-free, even if the combined items cost more than $2,500. But if you spend more than $2,500 on an item, you’re stuck with paying the full sales tax, not just the amount that exceeds that threshold. Note: The deal does not apply to layaway sales, either.

👚 It’s a good weekend if you’re looking to splurge on fancy clothes. 363 days of the year, clothing items are exempt from the state sales tax unless they cost more than $175. But this weekend, if you buy a clothing item that’s less than or equal to $2,500, you don’t have to pay sales tax. If the item is over $2,500 (Canada Goose coat, maybe?), the first $175 is not subject to tax, but the rest is.

💻 And this all applies to online purchases, too. Any item you buy is eligible for the tax exemption as long as you buy it on Saturday or Sunday during Eastern Daylight Time (even if you don’t get it delivered until after the weekend). And if you decide to return an item after the holiday, you won’t have to pay back the tax retroactively, either.

👀 Any questions? You can read up on more dos and don'ts on the sales tax holiday here.

QUICK QUESTION!

🤑 What’s your threshold for something being a good deal?

TOGETHER WITH LORD HOBO

Looking for a fun run?

🏃‍♀️ Take a trot for charity with Lord Hobo Brewing. On August 12th, they’ll be hosting their annual 6.17k Charity Run. The race starts and ends at their taproom in Woburn, and runners will enjoy a race that culminates with a tailgate experience complete with their 617 beer lineup, live music, food, games, local vendors, and much more. A portion of the race’s proceeds will go directly to support the Woburn Council of Social Concern. You can register here.

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🙌 The state budget is officially official. The fiscal year may have started 40 days ago, but better later than never? Gov. Healey just signed the state’s $56 billion budget into law, covering community college tuition for students over 25 and those pursuing nursing degrees; giving the T a boat load more money (shoutout to the millionaire’s tax); providing free lunch at all public schools; and much more. Notably absent was the tax relief package, which is still being sorted out. You can see which other items made the budget here.

🗳️ It’s almost time to vote again. Boston’s preliminary election is slated for Sept. 12 and the general is set for Nov. 7. So if you want to vote either, be sure to read the Globe’s guide to the City Council election, which includes where to vote, who's on the ballot, hot races to watch (there are a lot), and more. But since the preliminary is just around the corner, here’s a friendly reminder that the deadline to register to vote in it is 5 p.m. Sept. 2 (you can check your registration status here). And the deadline to request your vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. Sept. 5.

🤢 The Charles is a little dirtier than usual. I probably sound like a broken record this summer, but thanks to the deluge we received on Tuesday, public health officials are warning of several sewage discharges affecting the Charles River along the Esplanade. This map shows the exact spots where the discharges occurred. The warnings are set to expire around 3 p.m. today, so if you find yourself or your pet near or on the water, it’s best to just steer clear.

🔥 Boston’s list of 30 under 30 just dropped. If you want to feel both proud to live among the world’s best and brightest and just a little bad about yourself, just peruse Forbes' 30 under 30 list of young Bostonians reshaping biotech, healthcare, and venture capital. The recipients include a pair of buddies who created a line of superfruit-infused vodka seltzers with coconut water, the founder of a sustainable period products line, the curator of the Boston's Portraits of Pride exhibit, and the Celtics’ very own Jaylen Brown, who founded the 7uice Foundation.

ONE LAST THING

P!nk’s youngest fan

On today’s installment of “Massholes going into labor in the most inconvenient places,” we have a 128 baby and an almost Fenway Park baby.

Last week, a woman and her husband were en route to the hospital when their baby boy couldn’t wait any longer. With the help of the Burlington Fire Department, he entered the world on the side of 128, making it the second roadside birth on a major Mass. artery in two weeks.

Angela Mercer’s plans of seeing P!nk at Fenway Park were abruptly cut short when she went into labor at 31 weeks. And in true Boston fashion, concert traffic was so bad, they decided to walk a mile to Brigham and Women’s, where she delivered her baby boy in the NICU.

Both babies are happy and healthy. And both moms have a new fun fact during icebreakers.

👶 Thanks for reading! OK, now someone has to give birth on 93 just so we can tick off the big three.

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor Lord Hobo Brewing for investing in local journalism and supporting community runners and causes.

🍦 The results are in: While J.P. Licks was the solid fav among the listed ice cream shops in yesterday’s poll, tons of readers made it clear that New City Microcreamery deserved a spot on the list, particularly, their baklava flavor.

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].