Florida Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Starts June 1, 2007

In conjunction with my post the other day about getting our supplies together for hurricane preparations, I just read in my local paper that Florida is having a sales tax holiday from June 1, 2007 through June 12, 2007.

Florida law provides that no sales tax or discretionary sales surtax (also known as a local option sales tax) will be collected on the sale or purchase of certain items* related to hurricane preparedness for the period beginning 12:01 a.m., Friday, June 1, 2007, and ending at midnight, Tuesday, June 12, 2007.

Here is a list of items that are identified as eligible from the Florida Department of Revenue:

Qualifying items selling for $10 or less:
Reusable ice or items sold as artificial ice

Qualifying items selling for $20 or less:
Any portable self-powered light source
Battery-powered flashlights
Battery-powered lanterns
Gas-powered lanterns (including propane, kerosene, lamp oil, or similar fuel)
Tiki type torches
Candles

Qualifying items selling for $25 or less:
Any gas or diesel fuel container (including LP gas and kerosene containers)

Qualifying items selling for $30 or less:
Batteries, including rechargeable (listed sizes only)
AAA-cell
AA-cell
C-cell
D-cell
6-volt (excluding automobile and boat batteries)
9-volt (excluding automobile and boat batteries)
Coolers (food-storage; non-electrical)
Ice chests (food-storage; non-electrical)

Qualifying items selling for $40 or less:
Any cell phone charger

Qualifying items selling for $50 or less:
Tarpaulins (tarps)
Visqueen, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, and other flexible waterproof sheeting
Ground anchor systems or kits
Tie-down kits (items that are advertised or normally sold as a tie-down kit)
Bungee cords
Ratchet straps

Qualifying items selling for $60 or less:
Any cell phone batteries

Qualifying items selling for $75 or less:
Radios (self-powered or battery-powered)
Two-way radios (self-powered or battery-powered)
Weather band radios (self-powered or battery-powered)
Any carbon monoxide detectors
Any package consisting of two or more of the previously listed qualifying hurricane-preparedness items
Note: Battery-powered or gas-powered light sources and qualifying portable self-powered radios will qualify for the exemption even though they may have electrical cords.

Qualifying items selling for $200 or less:
Storm shutter devices (defined as materials and products specifically manufactured, rated, and marketed for the purpose of preventing window damage from storms)

Qualifying items selling for $1,000 or less:
Portable generators that will be used to provide light, communications, or to preserve perishable food in the event of a power outage

You can see the list is quite comprehensive. Usually stores will have sales in conjunction with this sales tax holiday so you can save even more money. For the full list of items that are eligible (as well as for those things that are not included) you can check it out here.