Pumpkin Tax

You know, I could have beaten everyone to the punch a couple of weeks ago when I bought a pumpkin and noticed that I was charged sales tax for it. Apparently the fact that Iowa has begun charging sales tax on pumpkins that it thinks people are going to use for decoration instead of for consumption has made the national news today with stories on CNN.com and FoxNews.com. After getting home from the Hy-Vee Drugstore where I bought the pumpkin, I did a Google search and found a page on Iowa's Department of Revenue website informing me that pumpkins that are advertised for use as decorations are charged sales tax. I could have filled out a form indicating that I was planning on using the vegetable for food (what an amazing idea) and avoided paying the sales tax. I do enjoy eating pumpkin seeds, so if I had planned on doing so, I would not have even had to lie to say that I planned on using the pumpkin for food. If the state pulls this kind of "trick" again next year, I think that's just what I'll do to avoid the 6% tax on the purchase price of the pumpkin.