ORLANDO, Fla. – A batch of sales tax holidays is kicking off this summer, saving Floridians some money. It’s all part of a $1.3 billion package of tax breaks signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Batteries, gas cans, flashlights and even dog food are tax free for two weeks starting May 27 as part of Florida’s Disaster Preparedness sales tax holiday.
″Keep in mind that these are holidays that are intended to be geared toward disaster preparedness, but it’s certainly not restricted to that. So, it’s a great time to shop for those items and get out and save a few dollars,” said Florida Retail Federation President Scott Shalley.
Hurricane season officially starts June 1st.
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“Think of the things you needed the last time when the storm came,” said Greg Parsell of Ace Hardware in Sanford.
Retailers, including Ace Hardware, are encouraging shoppers to take advantage of the tax-free holiday and stock up on important supplies sooner rather than later.
“Not everybody takes advantage of the sales tax holiday and that creates a rush when storms come close. Lets face it, not everybody has the money to buy these things and think they can do without them,” Parsell said.
Those who miss this tax free holiday will have another opportunity.
For the first time, a second two-week exemption will take place in September, right before the peak of hurricane season.
The sales tax holiday began Saturday, May 27, and extends through Friday, June 9. The second exemption period will begin Saturday, Aug. 26, and extend through Friday, Sept. 8.
But storm supplies aren’t the only things exempt from sales tax this season.
A three-month collection of tax breaks, dubbed “Freedom Summer,” starts Monday, allowing shoppers to avoid paying sales tax for things like concerts, sporting events, entry to state parks and camping supplies.
“It provides a great opportunity for consumers to save, and it provides a great opportunity to generate retail activity,” Shalley said.
Click HERE for a list of all the sales tax holidays and details from the Florida Department of Revenue.
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