Grinds my gears.

[MamaBelle4]

I was out shopping with my girls. The two oldest bought swimsuits and there was a sales tax.

I was chatting with a sales clerk in the next store and she said it was because it was a "luxury" item. Meanwhile the flip flops the girls were getting weren't. I casually mentioned that. She said, "Do you want to know what is really ridiculous? Girls' dance shoes are taxed as luxury items, but boys' baseball shoes aren't. "

Thanks, PA. Why is dance a luxury, but baseball isn't? Jerks.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I was out shopping with my girls. The two oldest bought swimsuits and there was a sales tax.

I was chatting with a sales clerk in the next store and she said it was because it was a "luxury" item. Meanwhile the flip flops the girls were getting weren't. I casually mentioned that. She said, "Do you want to know what is really ridiculous? Girls' dance shoes are taxed as luxury items, but boys' baseball shoes aren't. "

Thanks, PA. Why is dance a luxury, but baseball isn't? Jerks.

I didn't realize y'all had a luxury item tax (this is Penn right or is this Aus- because for some reason I thought you were one of the Aussies). We've go just straight sales tax which always bites me.

But that sucks. How on earth are baseball shoes not luxury items yet dance shoes and swimsuits are?

Now I'm curious about golf shoes and baseball bats...

 

[MamaBelle4]

I didn't realize y'all had a luxury item tax (this is Penn right or is this Aus- because for some reason I thought you were one of the Aussies). We've go just straight sales tax which always bites me.

But that sucks. How on earth are baseball shoes not luxury items yet dance shoes and swimsuits are?

Now I'm curious about golf shoes and baseball bats...

Pennsylvania.

I don't know about golf shoes, but bats would be. Clothes and food aren't taxed in PA, unless it is for a girls' sport, apparently.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I didn't realize Pennsylvania had a luxury tax either. I'm more of a tax everything equal or not at all type of person. I agree with you it's odd the cutouts of baseball shoes but the inclusion of dance shoes and swimsuits.

 

[Christine]

Interesting. Everything here in Virginia is taxed. Clothing items of any sort don't get a break!! I think it's funny that Pennsylvania has arbitrary taxes on certain clothing items.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Interesting. Everything here in Virginia is taxed. Clothing items of any sort don't get a break!! I think it's funny that Pennsylvania has arbitrary taxes on certain clothing items.

Everything in PA is arbitrary, lol.

Hey! We've just started allowing grocery stores and gas stations to sell beer and wine!

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Everything in PA is arbitrary, lol.

Hey! We've just started allowing grocery stores and gas stations to sell beer and wine!

Alabama has a sin tax on liquor that drives the cost of Jack Daniels to $54 OTD. I can drive to Florida and it's $40 OTD, guess which one I do.
As a side note- I would've never thought Florida would be cheaper for alcohol than Louisiana, but it is.

 

[cabanafrau]

Michigan simply has a straight sales tax, excluding groceries. My pet peeve is the taxing of prescription meds. Many people struggle to afford their prescriptions in the first place, then the taxman reaches out his hand too?

 

[Lynne G]

PA has Quaker roots. Bathing suits are luxury, clothes are not. Maybe remember the Sunday no sale rules. Most of them are gone now, but we still keep many of the old rules regarding what we tax and don't. And yeah, sometimes it bugs me to pay tax on a bathing suit, but I get annoyed when I am in Florida, to pay tax on clothing. It's also why I buy things when traveling through Delaware. No sales tax there.

 

[amberpi]

Thanks, PA. Why is dance a luxury, but baseball isn't? Jerks.

That is a jerk move, PA! Of course in TN, everything is taxed equally, including groceries, so that's a whole different discussion.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here in KS everything is taxed the same amount with the exception of Sin tax on alcohol and tobacoo which is taxed at a higher rate. Honestly for some states I feel like it would be a constant figuring out what would be taxed or not in states that have different tax rules (I realize some states are easier to figure out than others).

I prefer the way everything is taxed here in KS the same rate (and understand the Sin tax part) I just don't like the rate at which we are charged which just keeps going up and up and up.

 

[MamaBelle4]

It's also why I buy things when traveling through Delaware.

My MIL has a bay house in Bethany, DE. When we go, we get stuff we need but can wait on. Why not save 6% if I can?

 

[PollyannaMom]

I was out shopping with my girls. The two oldest bought swimsuits and there was a sales tax.

I was chatting with a sales clerk in the next store and she said it was because it was a "luxury" item. Meanwhile the flip flops the girls were getting weren't. I casually mentioned that. She said, "Do you want to know what is really ridiculous? Girls' dance shoes are taxed as luxury items, but boys' baseball shoes aren't. "

Thanks, PA. Why is dance a luxury, but baseball isn't? Jerks.

That does seem unfair! Clothing and food are exempt here in MA too, but I wondered just how exempt after reading your post. Here's our list (from: http://www.mass.gov/dor/individuals/taxpayer-help-and-resources/tax-guides/salesuse-tax-guide.html#apparel) -

Apparel and Fabric Goods
Clothing generally is exempt from the sales tax. However, any individual clothing item costing more than $175 is taxable on the amount over the basic exemption. Thus, the tax on a $200 suit would be $1.56 - 6.25 percent of the $25 taxable amount. If a number of items are being purchased, any applicable sales tax is charged only on individual items over $175, no matter what the total bill.

While apparel designed solely for athletic or protective use is taxable, items that are also suitable for everyday use are exempt.

Materials that become part of articles of clothing, such as name tags sewn to a garment, are generally tax-exempt. Jewelry and accessories generally are taxable.

Following is the specific item list:

Exempt items

• Aprons: household, shop
• Bathing suits
• Belts, buckles, suspenders
• Children's novelty costumes
• Choir, clerical vestments
• Cloth: synthetic or natural fiber
• Costumes
• Footwear: Boat shoes; Innersoles; Jogging shoes; Overshoes; Sandals; Shoelaces; Shoes and boots; Slippers; Sneakers and tennis shoes
• Gloves: dress, casual, gardening
• Gym uniforms
• Hats, caps, earmuffs
• Hosiery, socks, garters and garter belts
• Jackets, windbreakers
• Jogging bras
• Leotards, tights
• Neckwear, ties, scarves
• Rainwear
• Sewing goods: Buttons; Elastic binders, tapes; Fabric and materials for clothing; Thread; Yarn (other than rug); Yarn goods; Zippers
• Ski pants
• Tennis clothing
• Uniforms: band; camping; fire; nurse; police; waiter/waitress
• Work clothes

Taxable items

• Bathing and shower caps
• Briefcases
• Clothing primarily designed to protect from physical injury (see DOR Directive 99-3)
• Equipment, special clothing for jockeys
• Footwear: Bowling shoes; Cleated athletic shoes; Football shoes; Golf shoes; Riding boots; Shoe bags, trees; Shoe polish, brushes; Ski boots; Waders
• Hair notions (barrettes, combs and brushes, etc.)
• Handkerchiefs
• Handbags, purses
• Luggage
• Protective helmets
• Sewing supplies: Dress forms, patterns; embroidery hoops; Knitting bags; Needles, pins, thimbles; Needlework instruction books; Rug yarn; Scissors; Sewing kits; Skein and yarn holders; Tape measures
• Uniforms: athletic (baseball, football, etc.)
• Wallets

It seems I'm luckier in the swimsuit department (unless I want a bathing cap to go with it ) but our shoes are divided up too - I guess according the part I highlighted in red. Weird.

 

[lanejudy]

I was chatting with a sales clerk in the next store and she said it was because it was a "luxury" item. Meanwhile the flip flops the girls were getting weren't. I casually mentioned that. She said, "Do you want to know what is really ridiculous? Girls' dance shoes are taxed as luxury items, but boys' baseball shoes aren't. "

Actually, that sales clerk was wrong. I used to work retail in PA. Unless the boys are wearing regular everyday sneakers, most wear baseball cleats which are taxable in PA (just like the dance shoes). Possibly something isn't coded correctly in her store's computer system.

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/061/chapter53/chap53toc.html

 

[MamaBelle4]

Actually, that sales clerk was wrong. I used to work retail in PA. Unless the boys are wearing regular everyday sneakers, most wear baseball cleats which are taxable in PA (just like the dance shoes). Possibly something isn't coded correctly in her store's computer system.

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/061/chapter53/chap53toc.html

It was The Children's Place, so they don't sell sports equipment. I assumed she was speaking from experience.

Well that's better. Still would rather all clothes not be taxes, but whatever. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Missy1961]

In NY, we don't pay state sales tax on clothing or items that can be made into clothing (fabric, yarn). Each county can add sales tax if they wish, so for instance, no sales tax in NYC but there is tax in Nassau County (4.5%) where I live.

And it's not that a bathing suit is a luxury item, but you don't need a bathing suit. And things like cleats, baseball hats, jewelry, etc. So we pay sales tax on those items. And everybody does - cleats and dance shoes are equally taxed.

It's our grocery tax stuff that drives me nuts. We don't pay sales tax on food - bread, milk, cheese, meat, veggies - but we pay it on some non-essential items but not on others. For instance, candy is taxed, but not cookies. To not be taxed, fruit juices must contain a certain percentage of real fruit juice. That makes good sense until you realize that cranberry juice can be very bitter, so it needs to be a lower percentage. So something that people drink to help themselves gets taxed.

And don't get me started on paying sales tax on feminine hygiene products.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I was out shopping with my girls. The two oldest bought swimsuits and there was a sales tax.

I was chatting with a sales clerk in the next store and she said it was because it was a "luxury" item. Meanwhile the flip flops the girls were getting weren't. I casually mentioned that. She said, "Do you want to know what is really ridiculous? Girls' dance shoes are taxed as luxury items, but boys' baseball shoes aren't. "

Thanks, PA. Why is dance a luxury, but baseball isn't? Jerks.

It is. Your clerk was just wrong. Be glad you don't live in my state. Everything is subject to sales tax. Even groceries. It's a load of crap. And they even tax that too.

 

[mom2rtk]

And don't get me started on paying sales tax on feminine hygiene products.

Everything here is taxed. Groceries, clothing, even tampons. Just be glad you get a break on some things.

 

[morgan98]

That is a jerk move, PA! Of course in TN, everything is taxed equally, including groceries, so that's a whole different discussion.

It is a different discussion, but Tennessee at least does not have a personal income tax. Tax revenue has to come from somewhere.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It is a different discussion, but Tennessee at least does not have a personal income tax. Tax revenue has to come from somewhere.

True and then there are places like where I live where you're charged personal income tax, property tax and on top of that tax on everything else with a higher tax for 'Sin' items.