TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Florida retailers say the recent disaster-preparedness sales tax holiday was a success.
While official sales numbers won’t be available until next month, shops are saying the weeklong event was very good for business.
The tax-free period, which ran from June 1-7, was part of a larger tax-cut package that lawmakers passed this spring.
It is estimated that consumers saved more than seven million dollars in state and local taxes over the week.
Florida Retail Federation spokesman James Miller hopes the popularity of the holiday this year will entice lawmakers to extend the time for tax-free shopping in 2019.
“In the past, we’ve had 10 days for the disaster preparedness sales tax holiday," said Miller. "We’d like to have that again, to once again give people more time to figure out what they need and allow the stores to spread out their workforce.”
Another sales tax holiday on back-to-school supplies is scheduled for August. Both are part of a larger tax-cut package totaling about $170 million.
