Tax Law: Are You Eating Those Pumpkins?

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - 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.

http://story.news.ask.com/article/20...D8SJUCTO1.html

A lesson for those who believe a national retail sales tax would simplify the tax code.

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"Poor reptiles! it is with them a vernal morning, they are casting off their winter's slough, they bask in the sunshine, and ere noon they will bite."
--Gouverneur Morris

Well, if they just taxed everything equally, it would be easier. Exemptions are when it gets tricky-- ie. for food or clothing.

They don't have pumpkin pie in Iowa?