Why is ICE taxed?

[itsrobert]

I went to CVS in California to buy a bag of ice. I consider, ice to be water and I thought water/food was not taxed in Califonia. Am I wrong?

[ruiner4u]

1. the bag of ice was taxed? Did it have a staple closing the bag?

[itsrobert]

2. I don't remember a staple on the bag

But it was sealed closed.

[ruiner4u]

3. Im just asking cause I worked at a gas station....

10 years ago and was told newspapers are not taxed but magazines are because mag's have a staple.. This is ohio, and i dont remember if we taxed ice.. but the same silly logic might cross state borders...


and i dont know if we tax ice here..


edit spell check

[itsrobert]

Maybe it's a mistake on CVS

and I can sue them in a class-action for all the money they have been charging tax on ice.

[achtung_circus]

4. If you want water

turn on the tap.

Buying ice is paying for the energy to freeze the water.

[itsrobert]

5. So Frozen Foods are taxed?

I don't remember that. Refrigerated food is taxed? I don't think so.

Isn't the people manufacturing the ice buying the energy to freeze the water? Why is the government getting a cut?

[Bandit]

23. I think the tax exemption is for unprepared food

I think if you eat at a restaurant you pay tax.

[RB TexLa]

6. Exactly just like paying "sales tax" when renting a condo

There is no sale.

[bleedingheart]

7. Buying Ice may be considered a Luxury Item...

here in PA...most clothing is not taxed...but Bathing suits are ..because they are a luxury...

You do not need Ice to survive, you can make your own and therefore the packaging of it and the convenience of it...can make it a luxury item.

Will your scotch be warm without it...yes...but if you want some luxury...you pay the tax.

[itsrobert]

9. So, I didn't have a refrigerator at the time

And was keeping my food fresh. Is keeping my food fresh a luxury? I don't think so, unless it's a luxury not to get sick on spoiled food.

[bleedingheart]

12. edit...

why didn't you have a fridge?

emergency???

[itsrobert]

13. Out of town on business trip n/t

n/t

[susanna]

17. All our clothing is taxed in Michigan.

...if you're talking Sales Tax. Bathing suit or no...

Food proper (regular groceries) are not, but I am not sure about ice.

[Art_from_Ark]

19. Everything you buy at a store is taxed in Arkansas

Food, medicine, clothing, it doesn't matter, everything's taxed at 6%, plus local sales taxes.

[susanna]

20. Oh, my...

I'll shut up then. Sorry...

[Art_from_Ark]

22. No need to shut up

My post was merely intended to state what the situation was like in my home state.

[RB TexLa]

8. Why is food not taxed? I noticed that in Texas, weird n/t

[ruiner4u]

10. from what i know..

food and water is not taxed since you need it to live.. cola is taxed because sugar is added to it...

[itsrobert]

11. I guess it's a fine line between need and luxury

Some might say it's a luxury. ie> Cold Beer.
Some might say it's a need. ie.. to keep my food from spoiling.

It's a tough call. So of course the government is going to err on the side of luxury. (Arnold needs his cut)

[Quantess]

14. That store might have been improperly taxing your ice.

Just a guess. I haven't lived in CA for about 5 years, and I don't remember whether ice got taxed or not. Shouldn't be, since it's technically water in a solid state.

[smalll]

16. lol -

"food and water is not taxed since you need it to live" - nice explanation of the obvious, and it needed to be said! What I'm wondering about the poster you responded to is this: if I bought some (taxed) ice and put it into a beverage of some kind, and handed it to him, would he consume it in my presence while I consumed my one of my own? Would he?

[SPKrazy]

15. I Thought You Meant Immigration & Customs Enforcement

and had to look and see

don't know anything about California laws

[mcscajun]

18. In CA, Food is not taxed, bottled water is not taxed, ice is.

Unless you are buying it with food stamps. I guess they figure folks without much else might also lack refrigeration. For everyone else, it's taxable.

[MazeRat7]

21. Because its "prepared"... loosely speaking.

Here in Texas, that seems the be the distinction (kind-of). A deli-sandwich is taxed because labor was used in assembling the raw ingredients, however the raw ingredients (bread, veggies, meat, etc) are not.

I have long argued that all food requires preparation in order to sell it in a market. By that logic they should sell cows (not-taxed) on-the-hoof in the market and steaks (taxed) because someone cut the cow up into pieces. But no.. meat is not taxed. Likewise, single servings are generally always taxed but quantity is not as in candy bars, sodas, bottled water, etc... go figure.

The water/ice thing is just as strange considering the only difference is the package and temperature...

At the end of the day, its really arbitrary and somehow I suspect it has to do with influence by the food industry into local taxing authorities.

(Oh btw.. that tin foil I am wearing is taxable)


MZr7

[Cleita]

25. That's stupid because the tax is added on to the food. How

it's prepared or not prepared has nothing to do with the added tax. I mean you might pay more for a prepared sandwich than you would if you bought the ingredients and made it yourself. It would make no difference to the preparer's profit whether it's taxed or not because the tax money gets passed through him to the state, so it's not a good reason.

Also, they used to exempt prepared food to go. (They don't anymore.) Somebody figured out what's the difference whether you eat your sandwich in the restaurant or take it home? Duh! We're missing a big chunk of tax revenue here.

[Cleita]

24. It's just another one of those consumer taxes that don't make

sense. Write your state and local representatives about it. Years ago luxury taxes were charged on women's purses, which are not a luxury but a necessity. It took some pissed off ladies to harass their reps to get it repealed.

[HughBeaumont]

26. Because SOMEone has to pay that 8 trillion off.

Might as well be us.

[DocSavage]

27. It is a

state sales tax, not a federal tax. Nothing to do with the Fed Deficit. But, you are aware of the imbedded taxes in the cost of all items, even not taxed. Got to pay for the gas tax to transport, SSI and labor taxes to make it, ect. There is no such thing as tax free. Just taxed less.

[Quantess]

29. Oregon has no sales tax,

but I'm not convinced that's good for Oregonians. Oregon schools are withering and their libraries are pathetic, compared to neighbor Washington, which has a super-high sales tax.

[ComerPerro]

28. You are complaining over a matter of, what, 25 cents?

[lakemonster11]

30. I don't think it is.

I've specifically been told that it isn't taxed by a convenience store clerk (she said it was in the food/water category). Of course that was in Washington.