According to the state of Iowa, pumpkins are not food, and therefore are subject to state sales tax.
Renee Mulvey, the department’s spokeswoman, said officials decided that pumpkins are used primarily for Halloween decorations, not food, and should be taxed. Previously, they had been considered an edible squash and exempted from the tax.
As a result, the department ruled that pumpkins are taxable if they are advertised for use as jack-o’-lanterns or decorations, or if it’s understood that they will be used for that purpose.
Iowans planning to eat pumpkins can still get an exemption from the sales tax, if they fill out the “Iowa Sales Tax Exemption Certificate” form. Pumpkins also are exempt if they are of the specific variety used to make pies and are advertised that way. Pumpkins purchased with food stamps also are exempt.
“We made the change because we wanted the sales tax law to match what we thought the predominant use was,” Mulvey said. “We thought the predominant use was for decorations or jack-o’-lanterns.”
What about if we carve our pumpkins for display and then roast the seeds for consumption. Well, I guess we just need to fill out the form first (in triplicate) to save some sales taxes. How many folks will do that, I wonder?
Feh.
(via J-Walk)
Iowa ended that tax before you even got your post up!
Yay!
I am reminded of the kerfuffle in California several years back about “food” vs “snacks” — like, at a supermarket, donuts from the bakery section were food (no sales tax), but packaged Little Debbie donutes were snacks (taxable). Goofy.