The 1966 Television Set Buyers Guide at the link below is a blast from the past. It mentions the federal excise tax on TVs (and other items) was removed around that time, leading to a drop in prices and increased color TV sales. How did that tax work? Paid by the manufacturers? Dealers? Customers as a sales tax? That was before my time, at least before I was buying a TV. Gotta love those mod '60s fashions on the models too.
http://www.bretl.com/tvarticles/documents/TVGuide1966BuyersGuide.pdf
http://www.bretl.com/tvarticles/documents/TVGuide1966BuyersGuide.pdf