Its pumpkin-everything season. Between pies, bread, and art projects, it is essential for you, as a resident of New Jersey, to declare your pre-purchase Pumpkin-Use intentions so you can be taxed accordingly.
On their official Facebook page (yes, they have an official Facebook page) New Jersey’s Division of Taxation reminded consumers that decorative pumpkins are now subject to sales tax, whereas those used in food or for food remain tax-free.
How does one differentiate the status of the gourd at the point of purchase? Can’t people lie?
What mechanism is in place to prevent fraud? Is there a division of the division of taxation that patrols neighborhoods with copies of receipts in search of scofflaws?
Is there a thriving black market?
How do you prove (or disprove) that a jack-o-lantern isn’t transitioning into a consumable after experimenting “as a decoration?” What if any are the tax implications, and might they be discriminatory?
What if you intended to eat it, but it instead rotted on a shelf or stoop? Do you have to pay the tax retroactively?
Can you deduct the tax at the end of the year if you bought it as a decoration and then ate it?
Is there a religious exemption?
So, many questions, including, why the hell do people still live in New Jersey?
