Lovers of Kit Kat bars, Twix bars and Milky Ways will be pleased to learn that the newly-enacted candy tax will not touch their bottom-line pricing.
Why? Because under Washington state’s new law, they’re not considered candy.
The Department of Revenue today released a spreadsheet of 3,000 different items and their taxing status - whether they’re exempt from the new law or are taxable.
The three aforementioned candy bars food products use flour, and therefore, are exempt from the new law, according to a DOR official who spoke with the Spokesman-Review’s Jim Camden. Check out his full post on candy, right here.
Some of the product decisions seem to defy basic assumptions about them. While Milky Way bars are exempt, their dark-choclate cousins the Milky Way Midnight bars are taxable. Yogurt pretzels (obviously a product made with flour) are exempt, but yogurt peanuts are taxable. In Washington - peanuts aren’t food, I suppose.
And then there’s this from Camden:
Many of the “not candy” items on the department’s exempt list are licorice: black or red, bits, nibbles, whips or sticks. Apparently, licorice is made with flour.
Check out the whole list at the DOR website, right here.
May 11th, 2010 at 8:12 AM
[...] In Washington, Kit Kats aren’t candy | Politics blog [...]
May 11th, 2010 at 8:54 AM
Candy is like pornography — it’s impossible to define, but you know it when you see it.
May 11th, 2010 at 9:04 AM
I’ve been on South Beach, so pornography to me is Saveur, Bon Appetit, Cucina Italiana or the Food Channel. Unfortunately no matter how they parse it, confections are not on my diet and I would commit a misdeed for a loaf of Rosemary bread.
So all they have to do is add a little flour to every candy treat and voila, no tax. This law does seem like it was conceived by Monty Python.
May 11th, 2010 at 9:33 AM
This is a great blog post. I’m very happy that Kit Kats aren’t really candy. This now qualifies them as a food group as far as I’m concerned.
May 11th, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Mewonders if I’s was to invent a scotch with flour in me ingredients if I’s could avoid the whisky tax?
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
May 11th, 2010 at 10:33 AM
I’ve already invluded them in MyPyramid.
May 11th, 2010 at 3:28 PM
I’m thinking… whiskey based egg nog and you are half way there.
May 11th, 2010 at 3:34 PM
How’s bout we start a company called AFYNERDNOG!
Cheap juice for the masses!
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
May 15th, 2010 at 9:09 PM
Lotsa bots about these days……