Tax holiday for severe weather preparedness approaches
Alabama’s sixth annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will be held Feb. 24-26, and Franklin County and all Franklin Municipalities are participating.
Alabamians are encouraged to stock up on a variety of supplies for protecting their homes or businesses during Alabama’s tornado and hurricane seasons.
“Springtime is coming right around the corner, and I’d like people to take advantage of this and go stock some things up,” recommended Franklin County EMA director Jody Hitt, highlighting the impending season of increased threat of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. “Anything can happen. We experienced that back in ’11.”
Mayor David Grissom said reflecting on the devastation in Phil Campbell and Hackleburg in April 2011 definitely brings into focus the need to prepare.
“It’s really important for people to be severe weather prepared,” Grissom said. “This is just a great opportunity to save some money on those items that are tax-exempt.”
Of course, Grissom added, “We hope we don’t ever need to use them.”
With the time change approaching March 12, Hitt said now is a good time for people to check and change the batteries – one item that qualifies under the tax holiday – in their smoke detectors and weather alert systems.
The following list contains examples of items covered under the Severe Weather Preparedness holiday, all of which have a sales price of $60 or less per item: batteries (excluding coin batteries, automobile batteries and boat batteries), cellphone batteries and chargers, portable self-powered or battery-powered radios, two-way radios, weather-band radios, NOAA weather radio, portable self-powered light sources (including battery-powered flashlights, lanterns or emergency glow sticks), tarps, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, other flexible, waterproof sheeting, ground anchor systems such as bungee cords or rope or tie-down kits, duct tape, plywood or window film or other materials specifically designed to protect window coverings, non-electric food storage coolers or water storage containers, non-electric can openers, artificial ice and ice packs, self-contained first aid kits, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and gas or diesel fuel tanks or containers.
Portable generators and power cords that have a sales price of $1,000 or less also qualify.
“Those items are necessities that are needed especially when the power goes out or something happens to your house,” Hitt said.
Red Bay Mayor Charlene Fancher particularly encouraged people to take the opportunity to purchase weather radios.
“The key to being ready is to be informed,” Fancher said. “We all know, this time of year we start getting more weather alerts as we start changing seasons from winter to summer. We’re more likely to receive inclement weather.” Especially for people in the more rural areas of the county, Fancher said, a weather radio can be crucial to getting real-time weather updates and responding accordingly. “Everyone should take advantage of this sales tax savings. If you’re not prepared in advance, it’s too late.”
For more information about Alabama’s annual Sales Tax Holiday for Severe Weather Preparedness, visit revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/WPSalesTaxHol.cfm.
“We want the public to be aware of severe weather and try to prepare themselves with whatever supplies they need,” Franklin County Commission Chairman Barry Moore added. “We hope they will take advantage of the tax holiday weekend.”
