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Tax holiday generates tons of storm readiness

Tax holiday generates a flurry of preparation

By AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published June 13, 2005

The tax-free shopping for hurricane supplies came to an end Sunday. Thousands stocked up.

Thousands of Tampa Bay area residents flooded home improvement stores Sunday, stocking up on flashlights and batteries and generators on the last day of the state's tax-free holiday on hurricane supplies.

It was like last August, when home owners dashed to places such as Home Depot and Lowe's as Hurricane Charley bore down.

But this time, the shelves weren't empty.

And buyers were less frazzled.

Karl Romboy casually browsed the aisles of a St. Petersburg Home Depot on Sunday morning. The 54-year-old Snell Isle resident checked out the flashlights, settling on one that has a built in AC adapter. He stocked up on batteries, perhaps the hottest commodity Sunday, according to store employees.

Then he searched for a battery tester.

"People don't realize how miserable it is if you don't have power," said Romboy, taking off his eyeglasses to study the battery testers. "You can't sleep. You practically can't live without it."

State legislators created the estimated $9.3-million tax holiday - timed with the start of hurricane season - to encourage people to prepare earlier. Many stores matched the state's discount on tax-free items, including flashlights, batteries, radios, coolers, generators and gasoline cans.

Plywood wasn't included because legislators feared people would hoard it.

"People are more apt to prepare this time," said Gene McBride, the operations manager of a New Port Richey Lowe's. "A lot of people were caught off-guard last year. Now, there's a lot more preparation going into it."

Melva Metivier made her second trip Sunday to a St. Petersburg Home Depot in as many days.

On the list this time: more than 70 batteries, a set of flashlights and belts to tie down her outdoor grill.

"We're not getting caught this time," said Metivier, 49, of Gulfport.

Metivier saved about $15 on her $88.37 bill after the state and store discounts.

"I'm glad that we'll be prepared," Metivier said.

But many people won't be ready when a storm comes, a recent Mason-Dixon poll found. Just 63 percent of people who live within 10 miles of the coast have a hurricane plan, and only 26 percent of respondents said they could have their homes secured in a few hours, the survey says.

Of 20 hurricane preparedness questions Mason-Dixon asked, the average respondent could answer only eight correctly.

In Tampa, more customers filed in Sunday as the tax holiday neared its end. A Home Depot on S Dale Mabry Highway was out of portable generators, said Frank Elder, an assistant store manager.

"Everybody's coming in now rather than waiting till the last minute, which is good," Elder said. "Things are going much better than last year - everybody waited until August to come in. It was crazy."

[Last modified June 13, 2005, 06:22:01]