Just bought a pumpkin - was charged sales tax

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You must have never visited Michigan then?

The cashier at the Speedway I was at would have agreed with you, I'm assuming lol because the look on his face said it all when I said "There is SALES TAX on a food item??!!" He was like uhhh, yeah, have you been living under a rock or something? haha

I told him I spent my first 34 years living in MI where there is no sales tax on non-prepared food items (a cup of coffee from a self-serve station at a gas station is not considered "prepared"), and I has just moved to IL a few weeks ago.

On the other hand, I love when people come to MI and complain about the bottle/can deposit. And now that I have gotten over my horror of seeing a soda can in the garbage after living here in IL for almost 7 years now, it's fun to see the uncomfortable squirming when I tell visiting relatives to just go ahead and throw their can into the trash (combined trash/recycling in my town) instead of leaving it on my counter! Even though I grew up with everyone having a dedicated "bottle return bin" in their house, the thought of keeping sticky, gross empty soda cans around until I can take them back to the store for the $.10 refund is so weird to me now!

We don't have deposits here but I have visited places that do. There used to be places where you could get a few cents per can for aluminum but I think those places went by the wasteside near me.

In our County recycling is required but it is separated out from trash. The only down side is long ago they stopped taking glass. I just store up my glass though and take it to the numerous places like Ripple Glass (found in parking lots and such) that does the recycling.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Having lived in both CA and KS, both states need every penny of collected tax they can!

lol that is true..not trying to be political here..but KS is the poster child for what NOT to do when it comes to government structuring of things like taxes..at least since a certain somebody became a certain something (again not trying to be political here).

 

[Julie's Haircut]

New Jersey has about two dozen municipalities where the sales tax is 3.5%, half the standard 7% rate. There are large billboards near Exit 13A of the NJ Turnpike advertising Ikea and the Jersey Gardens Outlet Mall, boasting of this lower tax rate. Yet when you buy something taxable, you'll discover that the City of Elizabeth, where they're located, has its own 3.5% city tax. So still 7%. GRRRR!!

 

[bcla]

New Jersey has about two dozen municipalities where the sales tax is 3.5%, half the standard 7% rate. There are large billboards near Exit 13A of the NJ Turnpike advertising Ikea and the Jersey Gardens Outlet Mall, boasting of this lower tax rate. Yet when you buy something taxable, you'll discover that the City of Elizabeth, where they're located, has its own 3.5% city tax. So still 7%. GRRRR!!

If you can find a cheaper tax location in the same state, I don't think there's any requirement that you pay any difference to the state. Theoretically buying something in a no tax area (or online if tax isn't collected) means paying your own state's "use tax", but compliance is extremely low.

Once I bought my mom a present. I got it at a mall coming home from work. She liked it but wanted the same item in a different color. I took her to a location in San Francisco where the tax rate was 0.25% higher than where I bought it. They couldn't do it as an even exchange without cash. They had to charge the difference in sales tax, which was maybe 60 cents.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Once I bought my mom a present. I got it at a mall coming home from work. She liked it but wanted the same item in a different color. I took her to a location in San Francisco where the tax rate was 0.25% higher than where I bought it. They couldn't do it as an even exchange without cash. They had to charge the difference in sales tax, which was maybe 60 cents.

I used to work at DSW years ago and that happened all the time. We weren't able to do even exchanges..We had to return the item and have the customer essentially repurchase the item. The two locations in the area were in two different cities with two different taxes. My store location had the higher tax thus customers would owe money in the event of an exchange. But on the flip side if they had bought something at my store but then exchanged it at the other store they would get a refund. It didn't matter in my case what method of payment you used.

 

[blana]

I would expect to be charged sales tax if buying at a store. Just like I would pay for food or decor. However, we buy ours from a neighbor, who has their pumpkins in the yard along with an honor box. So we don't pay tax.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Tennessee does not have a state income tax.

BUT we pay sales tax on EVERYTHING. In Davidson County (Metro Nashville), it's 9.75% on everything. AND we have a huge state surplus because of this. Go figure.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Tennessee does not have a state income tax.

BUT we pay sales tax on EVERYTHING. In Davidson County (Metro Nashville), it's 9.75% on everything. AND we have a huge state surplus because of this. Go figure.

Wonder what they'll do with that state surplus?

Here in KS you pay income tax, the sales tax is high (see my previous comments), you pay property tax (and unlike some states you cannot claim the property tax you pay on your car for your personal income taxes), you pay tax on everything....and we went from a surplus to deficit (partly due to some tax breaks that were experimental that didn't work out but there are a multitude of other reasons)-see my comment in response to undertheradar.

 

[rastahomie]

So am I reading this correctly in that it's the decision of the retailer whether or not to charge tax on the item?

That's never been an issue here in Missouri. We aren't taxed on food. Period. Buy your pumpkin off the back of a guy's truck and taxes don't come into play.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So am I reading this correctly in that it's the decision of the retailer whether or not to charge tax on the item?

That's never been an issue here in Missouri. We aren't taxed on food. Period. Buy your pumpkin off the back of a guy's truck and taxes don't come into play.

You should be taxed on groceries (i.e. at the store)..but at a reduced rate in Missouri.

Missouri’s state sales tax on groceries is 1.225 percent, and local sales taxes are added to that.

Buying a pumpkin off a guy's truck..the guy selling it has to pay the tax so either he pays it to the state himself or he adds it into the price...I should preface this with he should be paying the tax to the state.

 

[rastahomie]

You should be taxed on groceries (i.e. at the store)..but at a reduced rate in Missouri.

Missouri’s state sales tax on groceries is 1.225 percent, and local sales taxes are added to that.

Buying a pumpkin off a guy's truck..the guy selling it has to pay the tax so either he pays it to the state himself or he adds it into the price...I should preface this with he should be paying the tax to the state.

Looks like I didn't have my facts straight on Missouri sales tax on food. Nevertheless, buy all of your groceries from the back of a guy's truck! Farm to table, and all that, lol.

 

[bcla]

So am I reading this correctly in that it's the decision of the retailer whether or not to charge tax on the item?

Not quite sure what you're referring to. There might be confusion in some states what items are "non-taxable food" or is taxable. The rationale I suppose with most pumpkins are that they're purely decorative and not normally eaten. I've tried before, and most pumpkins are pretty nasty tasting, even if it won't make one sick. The state will usually give sort of guidance as to what items are taxable under what situations, but give the retailer the final discretion.

I (and at least one other poster) mentioned sales tax exemptions in some states like Washington, for visitors from other states/provinces that have no sales tax. In Washington it appears to be up to the seller to determine if they wish to participate, or treat all buyers equally. Sales tax exemptions by definition should only be for items that will be taken and used in the home state/province, so things like sit-down meals are always taxed. If you're buying something like paper cups to use at a picnic inside Washington should theoretically be taxed. The gist is that it's up to the seller to determine if they want to provide exemptions. It requires paperwork/time, but could be worth it if it brings in additional business.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Looks like I didn't have my facts straight on Missouri sales tax on food. Nevertheless, buy all of your groceries from the back of a guy's truck! Farm to table, and all that, lol.

I haven't tried farm to table for all food items (my stepmom used to grow tomatoes but that's it) but it is a nice idea. Tecnically you aren't supposed to have a raised garden bed in my neighborhood but a few people do. I'm sure they get at least a few things (like tomatoes, lettuce, etc) out of it.

 

[rastahomie]

I haven't tried farm to table for all food items (my stepmom used to grow tomatoes but that's it) but it is a nice idea. Tecnically you aren't supposed to have a raised garden bed in my neighborhood but a few people do. I'm sure they get at least a few things (like tomatoes, lettuce, etc) out of it.

Farm-to-table is a great idea, in theory. In practice it kind of blows. Especially around here, you're not farming much except rocks. Rare is the person who can coax fruits and veggies out of this useless soil.