Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Tax-Free Weekend

Some husbands buy jewelry for their wives’ birthdays; others go for a glam night on the town. John Bresnahan gave his wife an adventure.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"She'd always wanted to go to Alaska."

So together they took a birthday expedition up north.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"The tundra, the terrain up there, it's barren but it is beautiful. It's gorgeous."

His wife is also a fabulous photographer. She got great shots and of course the Bresnahans wanted to edit, print, and save their pictures forever.

So back in Boston, on tax-free weekend, they joined the bargain hunters, knowing they could save five percent on a photo-edit program.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"To have it look like a professional photograph."

They found just what they wanted, for only 30 bucks. When they got to the register they expected the five percent break, but instead were 100 percent surprised.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"The woman says you have to pay the tax if you don't leave your phone number."

Give out their personal info? Why? John argued with the clerk and then the manager. Both said give us the info or pay the tax.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"So we paid the tax and we left."

They knew this was 100 percent unfair, but when John called the store's corporate office, he got zero reply. Then he dialed one more number.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"Channel 7."

We knew the store was 100 percent wrong and the state's tax guru agrees.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Should they be asking for personal info just to get that tax break?"

Alan LeBovidge, Mass. Dept. of Revenue Commissioner
"Absolutely not."

The tax break is designed to get people shopping, but the basic rules still apply.

Alan LeBovidge, Mass. Dept. of Revenue Commissioner
"It’s just a regular sale and the merchant is not entitled to any other information on any other regular sale."

One exception: the break is not for businesses, so on purchases of $1000 or more, you've gotta give ID.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"So you're saying if someone bought 5000 boxes of pencils, you'd figure that was a business."

Alan LeBovidge, Mass. Dept. of Revenue Commissioner
"Right."

So it was our turn to call the store. We reminded them that on the Bresnahan buy no ID was required and they deserved their tax back.

And a few days later in the mail, a money order arrived and the store even gave them a little extra for their trouble.

Now John can enjoy looking at their vacation photos and planning their next birthday adventure.

John Bresnahan, Shopper
"We’re going to take a boat down the Volga River in Russia."

Officials predict there will be another tax-free weekend, but as far as when, those decisions are made on Beacon Hill.

(Copyright (c) 2005 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)