WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Back-to-school shoppers are being given what has become an annual break from Connecticut’s sales tax.

For the ninth year, Connecticut will exempt clothes and footwear costing up to $300 from the state’s 6 percent sales tax for one week. Items that cost up to $50 each are exempt year-round from the tax.

The state lost about $3.8 million in revenue from the tax holiday last year, but Gov. M. Jodi Rell says the financial loss to the state is outweighed by the benefits to consumers and retailers, who are expected to see an increase in business.

The tax holiday will run from Sunday through Saturday, Aug. 23.

AP-ES-08-15-08 1440EDT