HOOVER, Ala. - Alabama's first sales tax holiday was like Christmas for state retailers, with more than 60 percent reporting a jump in sales during the long weekend, according to a survey released Thursday.

Gov. Bob Riley said the initial numbers show the sales promotion was a success, and he and other leaders already are pushing for an expanded version next year.

A survey of 186 retailers statewide showed that 64 percent reported an increase in sales over last year during the tax-free weekend held Aug. 4-6, said Mickey Gee, a retailing professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Another 9 percent of stores said sales were flat, Gee said, and 24 percent indicated sales were the same or lower than last year. About half the businesses surveyed, 49 percent, promoted the tax holiday through advertising or sales.

The survey found that 68 percent of retailers reported an increase in sales of as much as 50 percent, and 20 percent said sales more than doubled. The rest fell somewhere in between.

Riley called the sales tax holiday a success even though state sales taxes are collected one month in arrears and the impact on the state budget won't be known for at least a month.

"I cannot imagine that we would not have it next year," Riley said during a news conference at the Riverchase Galleria in suburban Birmingham. "We have proven this can be beneficial to everyone in the state."

The law creating the sales tax holiday got pushed through the Legislature by Rep. Mac Gipson, R-Prattville, and Sen. Zeb Little, D-Cullman.

The state waived its 4 percent sales tax the weekend before many schools returned to class, and more than 200 cities and counties did the same with local sales taxes for back-to-school clothes and supplies. Riley said more local governments should participate next year.

"It looked like Christmas here at the Galleria that weekend," said Mayor Tony Petelos of Hoover, which dropped its 3 percent sales tax during the holiday.

State Revenue Commissioner Tom Surtees said it appeared that increased sales of items that were still taxed made up for the loss of tax revenues on items that weren't taxed during the weekend.

Studies show that Alabama's sales tax revenues are increasing at about 8 percent annually, he said, and the temporary tax break shouldn't affect that rate.

"This holiday won't make that number drop down," said Surtees. "I'm thinking you're going to look at our revenues and not know we had a tax holiday."