By Kale Williams | SF Gate Blog
In an effort to streamline operations for food trucks, which often hop around the Bay Area, the state Board of Equalization has amended rules for charging sales tax.
The new rule, effective July 1, presumes that prices displayed by the trucks — $8 for a sandwich, for instance — includes sales tax, which can differ from city to city. Vendors can charge the flat prices for all items, then figure out how much they owe in taxes later.
Currently, operators have to post signs saying sales tax is included in the price, or remit the tax on the listed amount.
Matt Cohen, owner of Off the Grid, the Bay Area’s biggest mobile food marketplace, welcomes the new rules.
“I think food trucks in general are happy to have greater clarity on how to handle sales tax,” he said. “Anything that helps get tax money where it needs to go more expeditiously is nothing but positive for the future success of the street food industry as a whole.”
Members of the Board of Equalization will be gathering in Sacramento Friday to outline the new rules and put them into practice, and they’ll be joined by food trucks from theSacramento Mobile Foods group.
They’ll be meeting, and eating, at 160 Promenade Circle around 11 a.m.
http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/06/26/state-helps-food-trucks-avoid-loose-change/
