Hurricane prep tax ‘holiday’ begins Friday; businesses hope to cash in

Hurricane season is less than a week away, and the sales tax holiday begins Friday so you can get ready for the next big storm and save some money while doing it.

Businesses that are struggling because of the pandemic hope to cash in on the preps.

Scott Shalley, CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, said it’s a win-win for businesses.

“There is no question that the holiday will provide the shot in the arm for retailers. There’s 270,000 retailers in the state of Florida, and a lot of them have been hit hard by the restrictions put in place.”

Consumers have been hit, too.

“Anytime something gets cheaper, it’s better,” said Roger Young of Naples.

“It’s also an act of kindness and preparing people for what could be a natural disaster,” said Pam Young of Naples.

Scott Hamblen with Sunshine Ace Hardware said that this year, it’s more important than ever to be prepared.

“We want to make sure our local residents are taking advantage of tax breaks to save a little money in their pocket,” he said.

“Every year we say prepare for the season, but this year is going to be much, much more important. You’ve probably eaten through the COVID-19 supplies that could have been hurricane supplies.”

With COVID-19 already setting production companies back, it could lead to problems for people who wait until a storm is brewing to buy.

“I’m really concerned if people don’t buy the supplies they need early enough… the last few weeks before the hurricane are going to be desperate,” Hamblen said.

The sales tax holiday begins Friday and runs through June 4.

CLICK HERE TO SEE COMPLETE LIST OF ELIGIBLE ITEMS

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