Many Mississippi residents took advantage of the sales tax holiday in Alabama to buy back to school supplies, but will Mississippi ever have a similar program?

State Rep. Greg Snowden has backed just such bill several times over the years, but it has never passed the House. He calls that a real let down to the people of Mississippi.

"It's a disappointment. I see Alabama and Tennessee are enjoying that. By all accounts, it has worked very well, and maybe we will have that in the future in Mississippi," said Snowden, speaking to Lauderdale County's council of governments on Monday.

The last time the bill was introduced it passed the Senate with an overwhelming majority. But when it came to the House, the measure never got to a vote. Snowden said some lawmakers have expressed a concern over the possible lost revenue.

"You lose the tax revenue off of that, but the people are shopping. They are buying non-exempt items. They are driving to your town. They are buying lunch. They are spending gasoline money. All this non-exempt stuff," Snowden said.

At worst, Snowden says municipalities break even. If passed, the bill could save taxpayers a lot of money. The average American household spends approximately $500 on back to school clothes alone. This would be a savings of about $35 to $40.

Snowden said municipalities that believe such a tax-exempt day would not be beneficial, would have the option to not participate.