The next time you order a bagel you may want to hold off on the cream cheese or other toppings.
Under orders from cash-strapped Albany, state tax officials have begun to enact some odd taxes in order to garner more revenue. For instance, in New York the sale of whole bagels is not subject to sales tax — where as “sliced or prepared bagels” are, according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance.
In addition, if the bagel is eaten within the store, even if it hasn’t been sliced, it is also taxed.
Many New York bagel-store owners were unaware of the new policy.
According to reports, Kenneth Green — who owns bagel franchises throughout New York — claims the state demanded he start charging taxes on bagels and apparently forced him to pay a large sum in taxes that the state estimated he owed — which equaled to roughly eight cents a bagel.
The confusion mainly stems from the fact the rule isn’t explained well in the tax code. For instance, while sliced bagels can be taxed, a sliced loaf of bread at a bakery apparently isn’t.
A spokesman for the tax department hopes to sort out the confusion by adding “additional guidance” on its website soon.
(Source: WPIX)
14 Responses
Buy the bagel unsliced & buy the cream cheese/tuna/lox/herring salad etc. separately its cheaper & no tax
H’chochom einuv b’rorsho
retarded. that is all.
Since most sales taxes in the US distinguish between food bought in a grocery store (which is seen as the place that worthy people buy their bagels), and food bought in restaurants (presumably people who can be hit with higher taxes, since they can afford to eat out) – unprocessed food should be taxed at a lower rate. So cut your own bagel at home, and spread your own cream cheese – and beat the sales tax, legally.
They are bleeding people DRY with these insane taxes and fees and penalties on EVERYTHING!!!
What will be the result?
Anyone who can possibly find a way to leave this crazy city and state WILL leave.
Who will be left?
Only those on the receiving end of the state and city hand-outs, and…
The Jews, – who need our Yeshivas, kosher bakeries, pizza shops, etc. – TO PAY THE CITY’S/STATE’S BILLS!!!
Rabosai, even if you can’t (yet) see your way clear to make aliyah, let’s find some other state/s in this country to move to en masse (and make our Yeshivas, kosher bakeries, pizza shops, etc.) where the weather is nicer (instead of being uncomfortably cold or uncomfortably hot at least 8 out of the 12 months of the year) where the taxes are WAY less, where the quality of life is better, is calmer, -where it’s prettier than this ugly, dirty town.
It’s just a matter of time until we’ll have no choice about it.
Until we are willing to break the Democrats stranglehold on Albany specifically by privatizing, privatizing, privatizing, abolish the Board of Regents, and give full control of the New York State Department of Education to the Governor, it will be same old tax and spend and tax and spend and tax and spend, etc., etc., etc.
This is so crazy! Soon they are going to tax you for walking on the street…
#1
You still have to EAT it outside the store to avoid the tax.
Just hide behind the bench when you’re eating it, otherwise they will charge you.
And if you are on the go? You throw away the rest? Buy a knife to shmier too?
#2, You need to be careful when you write…and most likely when you speak. Take the time to look up the word you used and understand its definition and context. You should be ashamed of yourself for throwing out a word like that with little regard for another.
Legit caterers charge tax for a bris, etc., but are they required to slice the bagel and make the sandwich for you?
I’m going to second what AinOhdMilvado said. Make aliyah. Now.
But if you can’t, check out the Free State Project move to New Hampshire.
IF you are going to have a sales tax (or do you prefer a higher income tax, perhaps a higher property tax, perhaps giving up government services and the “pork” they bestow on our community) – you will always want to distinguish between groceries and restaurant – and a cut bagel is where they draw the line.
The NY government does this because they know Jews eat more bagels than gentiles do.
They should equally tax the treif fast food “chicken wing” eateries to increase tax revenue..