Hoover to participate in severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday

Published 1:54 pm Wednesday, January 9, 2013

By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

HOOVER — Hoover citizens will be able to save a little more money from Feb. 22-24 while preparing for possible severe weather.

That weekend is the statewide severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday, when certain items are exempt from state sales and use taxes. During the Hoover City Council meeting Jan. 8, the council passed a resolution exempting those items from city sales and use taxes as well.

The sales tax holiday will begin Feb. 22 at 12:01 a.m. and will end Feb. 24 at midnight.

Exempt items include batteries, cell phone batteries, cell phone chargers, portable radios, flashlights, lanterns, emergency glow sticks, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting or drop cloths, bungee cords, ropes, tie-down kits, duct tape, plywood, window film, non-electric food coolers, water storage containers, non-electric can openers, artificial ice, ice packs, reusable ice, first aid kits, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors and gas or diesel fuel containers.

To be exempt, each of the previously listed items must be $60 or less.

Citizens may also purchase a portable generator and power cords for $1,000 or less. Such a purchase would be exempt from sales tax. According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, a portable generator is the only item to be exempt from sales tax that may cost more than $60.

For more information, visit Revenue.alabama.gov.