great scott!

Mackenzie Scott gifts millions to Houston schools and organizations

The uber-generous Mackenzie Scott has done it again.

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Six months after donating $50 million to Prairie View A&M, author and billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is giving another generous gift to more Texas schools.

On Tuesday, June 15, Scott — the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos — announced that she has given $2.7 billion to 286 organizations. Scott is known for her impromptu multi-billion dollar donations to charities and racial equity issues.

In a post about her recent donations on Medium, she wrote that she made the gifts to enable the organizations to continue their work, and as a "signal of trust and encouragement" to them and others.

Now, Houston-area schools and organizations stand to benefit greatly.

Among them are Brazosport College in Lake Jackson and Project Row Houses, a non-profit artistic community in Houston's Third Ward.

San Jacinto College in Pasadena will receive $30 million from Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett — the largest private gift in the college's history.

Because of her donation, the college said it will provide free tuition and fees for the entire class of 2021. That opportunity will be open to anyone who graduated this year and lives in their district.

"The San Jacinto College Board of Trustees, the San Jacinto College Foundation Board of Directors, as well as our employees and students, both current and future, are deeply grateful for this very generous gift," said Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer.

"We weren't expecting it, and it came at just the right time so we could put programs like 21Forward in place to help the students in east Harris County who made it through their senior year. These students were impacted by COVID, yet they persisted and graduated. We are honored to be able to use a portion of this gift to help students stay on their higher education pathway. We look forward to announcing plans for the remainder of the funding in the future. For now, we are stunned by this unbelievable gift and excited about the opportunities it provides for us to serve our community in new ways."

In Scott's blog post, she explained that she looked for "2- and 4-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have been chronically underserved."

CultureMap news partner ABC13 has reached out to Brazosport College and Project Row Houses to learn more about how Scott's gift will be used.

This is the third round of announcements Scott has made regarding her philanthropy. In 2020, she donated about $6 billion to COVID relief, gender equity, historically Black colleges and universities and other schools.

You can view the full list of recipients on Medium.

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For more on this story, visit ABC13.

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always be prepared

Texas tax-free weekend lets shoppers stock up on emergency supplies

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Emergency supplies like first aid kits that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

tax free weekend emergency supplies texas