South Baldwin residents can stock up on emergency supplies for a little less this weekend during the statewide Severe Weather Tax Holiday.

The three-day event, slated for Friday through Sunday, will allow residents to purchase items related to weather emergencies with no state, county or municipal tax.

This isn’t the first time for the holiday, as it was launched last summer in conjunction with the School Sales Tax Holiday. However, this is the first time the event settles into its permanent time slot.

“There’s wisdom in the madness of their scheduling,” Foley Mayor John Koniar said of state officials.

That’s because tornado season begins in the spring. However, Konia pointed out that it’s never too early to be prepared.

“They’ve already had a tornado in Mobile,” he said.

Thus, this weekend, he said, is one way to raise awareness of the need to prepare for emergencies.

“Anything we can to to help people prepare for a hurricane or straight-line winds is good,” Magnolia Springs Mayor Ken Underwood added.

While Koniar said the holiday also provides revenue for the city of Foly, the same may not be as true in Magnolia Springs.

“I don’t know if it has much of an impact,” Underwood said.

Nonetheless, residents in South Baldwin will see a lift on sales tax at the state, county and municipal levels on a number of items. According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, items less than $60 exempt from sales tax this weekend include: batteries (excluding coin batteries and boat batteries), cell-phone batteries, cell-phone chargers, battery-powered radios (including two-way and weather), flashlights, lanterns, glow sticks, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths, water-proof sheeting, bungee cords, rope, duct tape, ply wood, non-electric food or water-storage containers, artificial ice, blue ice, reusable ice, self-contained First-Aid kits, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, carbon-monoxide detectors and tanks or containers for gas or diesel fuel.

In addition, portable generators with power cords that cost no more than $1,000 are also exempt from sales tax this weekend.

For more information, visit www.Revenue.alabama.gov salestax/WPHolidayQuickRefSheet13.pdf.