The Christian Science Monitor: Hurricane Season Is Here, and Preparation Is Tax-Free
media mentionBy Renu Zaretsky, June 2, 2014
Hurricane season began yesterday, and millionaires or not, Floridians can purchase hurricane supplies sales-tax free until June 8. Eligible items include ice packs, flashlights, portable radios, portable generators, Tiki torches, and certain batteries (AAs are tax-free, AAAs are not). Sales tax holidays grew more popular as states carried budget surpluses: They were seen as a way to provide tax relief. But do sales tax holidays help the average consumer or boost a state’s economy? The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy weighs in: The short answer is “no.”