State & Local
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July 11, 2024
Fire Fee Reversal Risks 'Chaos' For Cities, Detroit Says
The city of Detroit urged Michigan Supreme Court justices to leave in place a decision that said its fire inspection fees are not a disguised unlawful tax because reversing it could send municipalities into "chaos" over their permit and license fee practices.
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July 11, 2024
La. Tax Chief Urges Quick Rewrite Of Constitution's Tax Rules
Louisiana's top tax official pushed lawmakers Thursday to propose a series of changes to the state constitution's tax rules next month, calling it paramount for the proposal to go before voters on the November ballot before next year's legislative session.
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July 11, 2024
Accounting Firm Contests Blame For Client's $2M Tax Bill
An accounting firm maintains it had no duty to inform an online flower bulb retailer about a major change in tax law stemming from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 Wayfair decision, telling the North Carolina Business Court that advising on such topics wasn't within the scope of its duties.
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July 11, 2024
Pa. Lawmakers OK Pittsburgh Homeowner Tax Break Program
Pennsylvania would authorize Pittsburgh to adopt a property tax relief program that would let longtime homeowners claim tax breaks related to rising real estate taxes under a bill that narrowly passed the state House and next goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.
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July 11, 2024
Mo. To Offer Tax Credits For Investments In Rural Areas
Missouri will allow the state Department of Economic Development to offer tax credits for capital investments in certain rural areas as part of a bill signed by the governor Thursday.
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July 11, 2024
Pa. Court Nixes School Board's Early Objections In Tax Fight
The Pennsylvania Department of Education and state tax board were the proper parties to be named in a group's challenge to the uniformity of a county's tax system, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Thursday, rejecting objections from the department and board.
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July 11, 2024
'Bridgegate' Defense Offers Road Map For NJ RICO Case
Counsel for the powerful New Jersey mogul and Democratic operatives facing explosive racketeering charges are likely to justify their actions as just business, experts told Law360, describing defense tactics similar to the ones that absolved defendants in "Bridgegate," New Jersey's most notorious politics-fueled crime in recent history.
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July 11, 2024
Mich. Asks Appeals Court To Rethink Nationwide's Tax Win
Michigan insurance companies that are part of Nationwide are required to file taxes as individual entities and not as a unitary group, Michigan's tax department said, asking the state Court of Appeals to reconsider its opinion in the case.
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July 11, 2024
Apple Challenges $14.8M Fla. Tax Bill In Sourcing Dispute
Apple asked a Florida state court to find that the state Department of Revenue incorrectly sourced revenue from sales of digital services and licensing agreements to in-state customers instead of out-of-state locations where the company performed its work, according to a complaint Law360 obtained Thursday.
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July 11, 2024
Minn. Ends Fiscal Year $421M Ahead Of Revenue Estimates
Minnesota's total net revenue for the fiscal year was $421 million higher than forecast, according to the state Department of Management and Budget.
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July 11, 2024
Ohio Revenue Trails Estimates By $928M In Fiscal 2024
Ohio's general revenue in the 2024 fiscal year was $928 million lower than estimates, according to the state Office of Budget and Management.
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July 11, 2024
Ohio Justices To Hear Arguments In Aramark Tax Dispute
Hospitality services provider Aramark will argue its appeal of a denied tax break for reimbursements received from clients before the Ohio Supreme Court and not before a master commissioner, the court said Thursday.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Panel Says Tax Amendment Challenge Had No Real Claim
A New Jersey state appeals court on Wednesday tossed a challenge to an amendment blocking certain appeals from being litigated in the state's tax court, reasoning that parties can still fight tax matters in trial court.
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July 10, 2024
Pa. House OKs EV Fee, End Of Tax On Residential Charging
Pennsylvania would impose an annual fee on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and eliminate an alternative fuels tax on electricity for charging done at private residences under a bill the state House of Representatives passed Wednesday.
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July 10, 2024
MGM's Suit Against Mich. Tax For Ill. Riverboat Sale Tossed
A Michigan subsidiary of MGM failed a requirement to request an alternative apportionment method before going to court in its challenge of a corporate income tax assessed on gains from its sale of an interest in a riverboat casino, the state Court of Claims ruled.
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July 10, 2024
NJ OKs Relaxing Worker Location Rules For Tax Credits
New Jersey made it easier for businesses with remote employees to qualify for some of the state's tax breaks and grant programs by loosening the state's employee location requirement under a bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday.
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July 10, 2024
A&E Overcomes NYC's Rejection Of Debt Deductions
A&E Television Networks may claim a New York City corporate tax deduction for certain debt expenses, a city administrative law judge said in a determination released Wednesday, saying deductions allowed federally are also allowed against the city tax.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Expands Film Tax Credit To More Digital Productions
New Jersey expanded its film tax credit program's definition of digital media content to include other forms of digital content under a bill signed Wednesday by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
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July 10, 2024
Ohio Board Boosts Value Of Wendy's Property To $2.1M
An Ohio city and school board proved that a property housing a newly constructed Wendy's restaurant was undervalued based on comparable properties in the area and that its value should be increased to $2.1 million, the state's Board of Tax Appeals ruled.
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July 10, 2024
Fla. Net Revenue Through May Beats Estimates By $1B
Florida's net revenue collection from July 2023 through May was $1.06 billion higher than estimates, according to the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
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July 10, 2024
Calif. Ends Fiscal Year With Revenue $3B Over Estimates
California's general fund revenue in the 2024 fiscal year was $3 billion higher than estimated, the California state controller said Wednesday.
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July 09, 2024
NY Judge In Trump Case OKs Narrow Subpoena For Atty
An attorney who told reporters he held an impromptu hallway conversation with a New York state judge in the lead-up to February's $464.6 million civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump must turn over any communications he had with the court regarding the underlying action, according to a Tuesday ruling.
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July 09, 2024
Calif. Health Players Back Managed Care Tax Amid Uncertainty
A ballot measure backed by some of the biggest healthcare players in California is designed to protect billions of dollars in revenue for the state's Medicaid program. Its impact may hinge on persuading more doctors to serve low-income patients.
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July 09, 2024
Mont. Floats Regs To Implement Income Tax Changes
Montana would implement legislation enacted in 2021 that made substantive changes to the state's individual income tax under regulatory updates proposed by the state Department of Revenue.
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July 09, 2024
Mo. Exempts Streaming, Satellite Cos. From Local Fees
Missouri will exempt streaming and satellite TV companies from local franchise fees as part of two bills signed into law by the governor Tuesday, despite cities in the state banding together to seek such fees from Netflix, Hulu, DirecTV and others in class actions.
Expert Analysis
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This Year's Top 10 Developments In State And Local Tax
Attorneys at Grant Thornton rank the 10 biggest state and local tax issues of 2022, including the adoption of state pass-through entity taxes, Maryland's digital advertising tax and American Rescue Plan Act litigation.
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What To Expect In 2023: SALT In Review
Starting with predictions for the coming year, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Texas Tax Talk: What To Know About The Prefiled Bills
Many of the Texas tax bills prefiled ahead of the state's January 2023 legislative session predictably reduce property tax, but it remains unclear how online sales tax sourcing will be addressed, and an expiring school district property tax incentive program will be reimplemented, say Matt Larsen and Alison Andrews at Baker Botts.
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Tax Cuts In Both Dakotas: SALT In Review
From tax-cut proposals in the Dakotas to a New Mexico artist who tried to represent himself, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Kentucky Tax Talk: Where Art Thou Kentucky Amnesty?
Attorneys at Frost Brown unpack the reasons why Kentucky's tax amnesty program never got off the ground this year, why implementation in 2023 won't be impeded by similar hurdles and how administration of the program may affect other Department of Revenue services once it gets going.
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5 Proof Of Domicile Takeaways From Calif. Tax Appeals Ruling
The California Office of Tax Appeals' recent Beckwith decision, which boiled down to a dispute over when a taxpayer moved from Tennessee to California for income tax purposes, provides valuable lessons on the evidence needed to establish the ties and intent that underlie tax domicile and residence, says Eric Coffill at Eversheds Sutherland.
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The Tax Comity Doctrine And Other Oddities: SALT In Review
From the little-known tax comity doctrine to governments' continuing pursuit of streaming services, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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State AGs Are Realizing Power Of False Claims Statutes
State attorneys general appear to be ramping up investigations, prosecutions and interventions using long-underappreciated state and municipal false claims statutes, and early indications signal an increasing focus on cybersecurity misrepresentations, private equity firms' misconduct and securities fraud, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Foreign Tax Credit Proposal Is Some Help, But More Is Needed
New foreign tax credit regulations proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department provided some measure of relief on cost recovery and royalty withholding, two of the most troublesome aspects of the 2021 final foreign tax credit regulations, but the final regulations are still harmful to many taxpayers, making litigation inevitable, say attorneys at Fenwick.
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Expect Seamless Transition To Controversial Ariz. Flat Tax
The unexpectedly early implementation of Arizona's new 2.5% flat income tax rate in January should be a painless and welcome change for individual taxpayers, even as the long-term impact on state and local economies is the subject of debate, say Karen Jurichko Lowell and Pat Derdenger at Lewis Roca.
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Tax Cuts Hither And Yon: SALT In Review
From proposed tax cuts in Mississippi and Montana to a new, voter-approved limit in Arizona, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Midterms And Powerball: SALT In Review
From the midterm election results to the latest Powerball winner, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Ohio Tax Talk: One Step Closer To Telework Income Tax Clarity
An Ohio court's recent ruling in Morsy v. Dumas that Cleveland must reimburse city tax on income an employee earned while she worked from another state during the pandemic is limited in the time period to which it applies, but may have important ramifications for the Ohio municipal income tax system as a whole, say Raghav Agnihotri and Rachael Chamberlain at Frost Brown.