Fla. ‘Sales Tax Holiday’ Proposed to Encourage Hurricane Preparations

With the beginning of the hurricane season six weeks away, Florida residents are scurrying to be ready to batten-down-the-hatches: Florida legislators are about to pass a “sales tax holiday” to enable consumers to buy hurricane-related supplies without paying the 6 percent state tax; and even the Florida Association of Insurance Agents has worked out a deal with Home Depot for members to obtain hurricane supplies at a discount.

Florida’s House has approved a sales tax holiday and a similar bill making its way through the Senate would make purchases of hurricane supplies tax-free from June 1 to June 12 to give Florida residents an incentive to prepare for the hurricane season.

World-renowned meteorologist Dr. William Gray recently predicted there will be 13 named storms this summer, seven of which will become hurricanes. Gray, head of Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project, says there is a 41 percent probability that a major hurricane will hit the Gulf Coast. Last year Gray predicted a 40 percent chance and last century’s average was 30 percent.

The Florida Association of Insurance Agents in Tallahassee sent an email out this week to members urging them to stock up on basic hurricane necessities at a pre-hurricane sale sponsored by Office Depot.

FAIA members were offered discounts on lanterns, flashlights, batteries, boxes, tape, water, folding tables, paper towels and plastic bags. The association even posted a sign-up form on its website.

Topics Florida Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane