Hurricane prep tax ‘holiday’ gives incentive to Floridians to build supply kits

As we kick off hurricane season a bit early this year, Florida is giving you an incentive to build your supply kit now while saving some money.

Friday through Thursday, you won’t be taxed on ice packs, batteries, flashlights, tarps, propane and even generators under $750.

Trista Walker moved to Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Irma.

“We have seen the damage that can be done, we just haven’t lived through it,” she said.

The closest she got to her first hurricane experience was Dorian, which grazed the east coast of Florida last year.

“We kind of went through last year where they thought it was going to hit us, and you’re running around and it’s crazy trying to get gas and water and batteries,” she said. “We were freezing ice in Cool Whip containers.”

That’s why she says she’ll stock up on ice packs under $10 during the tax-free holiday because preparing early might be even more critical during a pandemic.

“Supply chains aren’t going to be able to bounce back and be as flexible as they were in years past,” said Scott Hamblen, Sunshine Ace Hardware chief merchandising and marketing officer.

You don’t need to spend a lot, just enough to survive if you decide to stay home.

“We’re not asking people to stockpile for months and months,” said Lee Mayfield, director of the Lee County Department of Public Saftey and emergency management. “We know that’s an absolute burden.”

“Not sure if we want to deal with a hurricane yet,” said Walker. “If it was a category one, we’d probably stay.”

You want to make sure you have a two week supply of food and water as well as any medication you’ll need, some extra cash on hand and your personal documents.

There are some price thresholds you’ll want to be aware of before heading to the store.

CLICK HERE TO SEE COMPLETE LIST OF ELIGIBLE ITEMS

https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020-Disaster-Preparedness-Sales-Tax-Holiday-Items.pdf