Tax law: Are you eating those pumpkins?

[Tab]

Source: CBS

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Revenue is taxing jack-o'-lanterns this Halloween. The new department policy was implemented after officials decided that pumpkins are used primarily for Halloween decorations, not food, and should be taxed, said Renee Mulvey, the department's spokeswoman.

"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."

Previously, pumpkins had been considered an edible squash and exempted from the tax. The department ruled this year that pumpkins are taxable — with some exceptions — if they are advertised for use as jack-'o-lanterns or decorations.

Iowans planning to eat pumpkins can still get a tax exemption if they fill out a form.
...
"I don't mind paying taxes, but let's get real here, people," said Bob Kautz, owner of the Buffalo Pumpkin Patch in Buffalo, about eight miles west of Davenport.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_fe_st/pumpkin_tax

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Sheesh.

[liberal N proud]

1. You can get a tax exemption if you want to fill out a form

Iowans planning to eat pumpkins can still get a tax exemption if they fill out a form.

:wtf:

All the problems in this country and they are worried about a few pumpkins.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

2. What if you carve the punkin

but toast and eat the seeds???

Oh holy shit, what am I going to do? Last year I did a Freedom of Information Act request on my name, and I wasn't on there, but now?!?!?!

[Maeve]

3. This is dumb--will they tax fruitcakes, too? Nobody eats those!

:crazy:
Fill out the form and at least eat the seeds (baked, with a little salt, maybe some cayenne...yum!)

BTW, Actually, I love fruitcake but you are what you eat....

[kentauros]

8. I love fruitcakes, too :)

Especially the fruitcakes from the Collin Street Bakery :D

So, are canned pumpkin and pre-packaged pumpkin seeds taxed, too, or can you fill out a form for them, too? lol

[Deb]

4. So is pumpkin growing now a manufacturing process?

I truly don't understand this. Does Iowa tax Christmas trees, gourds and Indian corn too?

[9119495]

6. Iowa had to tax them as the anti-tax groups were

getting ready to come up with a list of similar items. There are some anti-tax freaks in the state but understanding the full picture is beyond the likes of Glen Beck.

Isn't there a war on?

[Vinca]

5. That's truly idiotic. The grinch is now stealing Halloween. nt

[FatDave]

7. OMG!!!11! It's the war on Halloween!

Those danged tax and spend libruls are now coming after our Jack-o-lanterns!

[LiberalFighter]

9. It's not the liberals it's the right wing christian nuts that are against Halloween.

They think Halloween is evil and don't allow their children to celebrate the event.

[sam sarrha]

10. why do they hate our Halloween...??

:cry:

[LiberalFighter]

11. Most Iowans should fill out the form and save the innards

If they don't want to bake a pie or something with it then maybe their mothers will bake the pie for them.

[Igel]

12. Do people eat carving pumpkins?

Seriously, aren't they a bit stringy and tough?

I always get the smaller "sugar pumpkins" for making pies (they're on my shopping list, if the store has them). But are "sugar pumpkins" a separate variety that could be IDed and separately bureaucratized, or just small carving pumpkins that haven't toughened up?

I guess there's Google to help fill my gourd. Bleah.

[noamnety]

14. I roast the seeds and eat them.

And sometimes I cook the eyes, mouth, any bits I cut out. Once it's cooked, it's not tough, and if it's run through a food processor, it's not stringy.

Whether people opt to throw away food that they've bought should be their own business. Sometimes I have leftovers that I throw out, and I don't expect to have to pay taxes on that portion of the purchase - even if I didn't use it for food. Sometimes I use vinegar for cleaning - that's not really the government's business - or at least it shouldn't be.

[Al Federfer]

13. I know what the Iowa Dept. of Revenue can do with some pumpkins... n/t

[Tab]

15. Does it have to do with something like this?

[Jokerman]

16. What's next, Easter Eggs?

I'm sure someone would scream "religious persecution" over that one. I mean, how could you have a meaningful celebration of the "resurrection of jesus" without colored eggs?

[yellowcanine]

17. How about if you are going to use them for pumpkin chunking?

Do they get taxed as amunition?

[MissB]

18. What if you eat the seeds?

What a stupid move by the Iowa Dept of Revenue. I'm sure farmers everywhere are just pleased.

[Megahurtz]

19. WTF???

:crazy: Ridiculous.