Tax-free, Florida Prepares For Hurricanes

In most states, tax-free shopping days serve two purposes – to give consumers a break and boost local politicians'' popularity. In Florida, there is a third: Hurricane season. Hurricane season officially begins June 1, though there has already been one named storm in what experts predict will be an unusually active season. No one can say exactly how many or where hurricanes will make landfall, but forecasts say coastal areas ought to be on alert. In Florida, that means a break on purchases like batteries and extra jugs of water that people may need to weather an intense storm. Paying for the costs of hurricane damage is already a hot topic, with insurers boosting premiums – or denying coverage – in coastal areas, increasingly, out of longterm concerns over sea-level rise, coastal erosion, more frequent or intense storms and other consequences of global warming that could conspire to drive up damage claims. While sea level rise is a near-certainty in a warming world – how much the sea rises is the question – scientists are still debating the effects of the changing climate on storm frequency and intensity. In Florida, and other areas on the Atlantic storm track, the reality – regardless of future conditions – is very near and present, according to a story in the May 29 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.