BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana residents can buy supplies to prepare for hurricane season at a lower state sales tax rate this weekend.
Hurricane season begins June 1.
The Louisiana Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is Saturday and Sunday, with lower tax rates for flashlights, batteries, portable generators and other emergency supplies.
Eligible items will be charged a 3 percent state sales tax, rather than the full 5 percent rate. The tax break applies to the first $1,500 of eligible purchases.
Among the items eligible for the tax break are:
• Any portable self-powered light source, including candles, flashlights and other articles of property designed to provide light;
• Any portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weather band radio;
• Any tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting;
• Any ground anchor system or tie-down kit;
• Any gas or diesel fuel tank;
• Any package of AAA-cell, AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6 volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries;
• Any cell phone battery and any cell phone charger;
• Any nonelectric food storage cooler;
• Any portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage;
• Any storm shutter device;
• Any carbon monoxide detector; and
• Any "blue ice" product.
