Business & Tech

Fashion Boutique Owner Says Dayton Tax Plan Would Harm Tourism, American Clothing Brands

Ashley Kilcher, the co-owner of Dakota County fashion boutique Roe Wolfe, said the proposed sales tax on items of clothing worth more than $100 would damage small businesses.

 

Gov. Dayton released more specifics last week about how his sales tax plan would affect individual businesses and services.

One the proposed changes to the tax code would be the introduction of a sales tax for clothing items and apparel costing more than $100.

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Ashley Kilcher, co-owner of the Dakota County fashion boutique Roe Wolfe, said $100 for a luxury item is not a particularly high price point.

"The sales tax increase would negatively impact small businesses, American-made clothing brands and Minnesota tourism," she said. "American made clothing and brands are typically more expensive just because labor costs are more expensive here, so it will affect the brands people are buying."

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She said tax-ree shopping was a large draw for Minnesota tourism.

"There’s a lot of shoppers who come to Minnesota to shop tax free at the Mall of America."

Kilcher said Roe Wolfe would not lower prices in response to the tax hike.

"We would have to see how the sales tax changes affected people’s shopping choices and go from there," she said.


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