Virginia Hurricane-Prep Sales Tax Break Starts May 25

Virginians who want to stock up on batteries, bottled water and other supplies for the hurricane season will get a tax break this month.

Starting May 25 and continuing for seven days, a sales tax holiday will spare them state and local levies for items deemed eligible. They also include flashlights, tarps, storm-shutter devices and big-ticket items such as generators priced at $1,000 or less.

The Department of Emergency Management says Hurricane Irene in late August caused the second-highest number of power outages in Virginia history, while several deaths occurred in the state from that storm and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee in September.