Surrounded by bottled water, flashlights and other disaster preparedness items, Gov. Ron DeSantis urged southwest Florida residents to get prepared for Hurricane season.
The Governor made a stop at a Home Depot in Fort Myers to tout the state’s two-week sales tax holiday.
The first one started June 1st and runs until June 14.
The second one runs from August 24th through September 6th.
Speaking about Southwest Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Ian, DeSantis says the area is ahead of schedule.
“Where you guys are at is normally five years after a storm and you’re here in less than two,” DeSantis said. “It doesn’t mean that it’s easy, it doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of challenges, because there are.”
When he came to town, he didn’t come empty-handed.
DeSantis presented Lee County leaders with a check for $7.5 million.
The money will be used to build a dual-purpose shrimp dock at the San Carlos Maritime Park.
The facility will be used by shrimp boats as well as emergency management in the event of storms.
“Obviously, it’s an important part of the economy, if it’s needed for disaster response it’s going to be able to serve that purpose as well,” said DeSantis.
WHAT’S ELIGIBLE FOR THE TAX-FREE WEEKEND?
· Self-powered lights of $40 or less.
· Portable self-powered radio, two-way radio or weather-band radio of $50 or less.
· A tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less.
· An item normally sold as, or generally advertised as, a ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less.
· A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less.
· A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less.
· A non-electric food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less.
· A portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage with a sales price of $3,000 or less.
· Reusable ice with a sales price of $20 or less.
· A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less.
· A smoke detector or smoke alarm with a sales price of $70 or less.
· A fire extinguisher with a sales price of $70 or less.
· A carbon monoxide detector with a sales price of $70 or less.
