State & Local
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October 24, 2024
La. Biz Development Office Extends Industrial Tax Break Regs
An emergency rule in Louisiana extended the effectiveness of regulations implementing a recently issued gubernatorial executive order that made several adjustments to the state's industrial tax exemption program.
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October 24, 2024
NY Sales Tax Applies To Some Of Co.'s Brand Services
A Delaware company owes New York sales tax on services it offered that constitute taxable information services, but other services it offered were personal and individual in nature and therefore excluded from tax, an administrative law judge for the state Division of Tax Appeals ruled.
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October 24, 2024
Ohio Board Frees W.Va. Car Dealership From Biz Tax
A Nissan dealership in West Virginia doesn't owe Ohio commercial activity tax despite claims by Ohio's tax department that residents were buying cars there to bring back to the neighboring state, the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals said.
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October 24, 2024
Nationwide Asks Mich. Justices To Skip Unitary Tax Case
Nationwide asked the Michigan Supreme Court to deny the state tax agency's application for review of an appellate court's decision that said the insurance company's entities should file their taxes as a unitary group, saying that ruling was consistent with a plain reading of the state's laws.
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October 24, 2024
Conn. High Court Snapshot: $13M Tax Appeals, Will Dispute
The Connecticut Supreme Court's second term of the 2024-2025 season will commence Monday with a dispute over whether an attorney bungled a will that sought to divide a $845,368 TD Ameritrade account among five beneficiaries, only one of whom received any cash.
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October 24, 2024
Utah Revenue Collection In Fiscal Year 2024 Falls $31M
Utah general revenue collection through fiscal 2024 fell $31 million from fiscal year 2023, according to the Utah State Tax Commission.
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October 24, 2024
Indiana Dept. Clarifies Sales Tax Rules For Charity Auctions
Indiana charity auctions that are conducted by auctioneers are exempt from sales tax if the retail merchant at the auction is a qualified nonprofit, according to an updated bulletin by the state Department of Revenue.
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October 24, 2024
RI Revenue Collection Beat Budget Estimates By $76M
Rhode Island general revenue collection from July through September outpaced forecasts by $76 million, according to the state Department of Revenue.
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October 24, 2024
ND General Revenue Up $369M From Estimate
North Dakota general revenue collection surpassed a forecast by $369 million through the first 15 months of the state's biennium, according to the state Legislative Council.
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October 24, 2024
MVP: Sidley Austin's Rachel D. Kleinberg
Rachel D. Kleinberg, a co-leader of the global tax practice at Sidley Austin LLP, headed up a tax team to represent investors in a consortium that led to the $6.05 billion sale of the NFL's Washington Commanders, earning her a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 Tax MVPs.
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October 24, 2024
Minn. Tax Court Won't Cut Value Of $1M Home
A residential property in Minnesota was correctly valued by a local assessor at about $1 million, the state tax court ruled, saying the owners' sales comparison analysis of the value was insufficient to cast doubt on the county's determination.
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October 23, 2024
Behind The Scenes Of NYC's Film Studio Real Estate Boom
Film and streaming production facilities in New York City are blossoming, spurred on by an explosion in demand for production space from streamers and $7.7 billion in state film tax credits, and attorneys are busy advising on all aspects of financing and developing studios.
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October 23, 2024
COST Urges Justices To Hear IBM, Disney Appeals Of NY Tax
New York's method of taxing IBM and The Walt Disney Co.'s royalties received from foreign affiliates resulted in an unconstitutional discrimination against interstate commerce that warrants U.S. Supreme Court scrutiny, the Council on State Taxation told the justices Wednesday.
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October 23, 2024
Ariz. Court Orders Changes To City Tax Measure Language
Language on a ballot measure in an Arizona city to replace an expiring local sales tax with a new one with a lower rate was misleading, an appeals court said, rejecting the city's statement that the measure would reduce taxes.
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October 23, 2024
Tenn. Revenue Through Sept. Beats Estimate By $103M
Tennessee's revenue collection in August and September totaled $103 million more than a state estimate for that period, the state Department of Finance and Administration reported.
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October 23, 2024
Ark. Tax Appeals Agency OKs Regs To Streamline Procedures
Arkansas adopted amended regulations for the state's recently created Tax Appeals Commission that are intended to streamline the agency's practices and procedures when hearing and deciding tax disputes between taxpayers and the state Department of Finance and Administration, according to a notice published in the state register.
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October 23, 2024
MVP: Sullivan & Cromwell's Eric Wang
Sullivan & Cromwell's S. Eric Wang advised clients on the tax law implications of major deals over the past year, including a transaction that created the largest gas utility company in North America, earning him a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 2024 Tax MVPs.
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October 22, 2024
Netflix, DirecTV Win Mo. Video Fee Dispute After Law Change
A Missouri law enacted this year that exempted streaming and satellite television companies from local video service provider fees blocked a class of cities from pursuing the fees from Netflix, DirecTV and similar companies for prior years, a Missouri circuit judge ruled.
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October 22, 2024
Ohio Court Affirms Owner's Liability For Cleaning Co.'s Taxes
The owner of a cleaning company is liable for the business's unpaid taxes despite his claims that he wasn't involved in the company's day-to-day operations, an Ohio appeals court ruled Tuesday, affirming a decision by the state's tax appeals board.
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October 22, 2024
RI Retailer Failed To Pay Tax On Cigars, State Says
A Rhode Island-based tobacco retailer tried to pass off incorrect invoices in an effort to evade the state's tobacco tax, an administrative hearing officer for the state Division of Taxation said.
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October 22, 2024
Ill. Pushes Individual, Biz Income Tax Deadlines After Storms
Illinois postponed various income tax filing and payment deadlines for people and businesses in parts of the state affected by storms and tornadoes in July, according to a news release published by the state Department of Revenue.
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October 22, 2024
Ohio Floats Guidelines For Tax Refund Documentation
Ohio would give its tax department more latitude concerning the creation of income tax refund claim forms and the documentation needed to back up claims as part of a rule proposed Tuesday by the department.
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October 22, 2024
La. Dept. OKs Regs For Oyster Shell Recycling Tax Credit
Louisiana has adopted regulations to implement a refundable credit for restaurants that recycle oyster shells, according to the state Department of Revenue.
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October 22, 2024
NJ Panel Revives Casino Tax Break Amendment
A New Jersey state appeals court has reinstated an enhanced casino tax break measure that a trial court had deemed unconstitutional, reasoning that the judge neglected to analyze the measure's interplay with the law it amended.
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October 22, 2024
NY High Court Won't Hear Medical Laser Tax Break Claim
A judgment affirming the taxability of usage agreements on laser medical equipment will not get reviewed by New York's top court, according to an order Tuesday, letting stand a sales tax determination of about $500,000.
Expert Analysis
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Going The Extra Miles: SALT In Review
From a dispute about the borders of Florida's airspace to proposals that would exempt tips from taxes, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.
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Maryland 'Rain Tax' Ruling May Offer Hope For Tax Credits
A Maryland state appellate court's recent decision in Ben Porto v. Montgomery County echoes earlier case law upholding controversial stormwater charges as a valid excise tax, but it also suggests that potential credits to reduce property owners' liability could get broader in scope, says Alyssa Domzal at Ballard Spahr.
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Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act
As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.
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How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market
Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.
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Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step
From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Shake-Ups For Courts In Different Fields: SALT In Review
From the end of Chevron deference in the courts to the planned sale of the NBA's reigning champion, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Kentucky Tax Talk: Appeals Court Revisits Leases' Tax Effects
With better facts and greater emphasis on the Kentucky Constitution, Walgreen Co. may succeed in its latest Kentucky Court of Appeals challenge to a tax assessor's method of valuing leaseholds on real property for purposes of determining ad valorem tax, say Mark Sommer and Elizabeth Ethington at Frost Brown Todd.
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Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism
As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.
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Reading Between The Lines Of Justices' Moore Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent Moore v. U.S. decision, that the Internal Revenue Code Section 965 did not violate the 16th Amendment, was narrowly tailored to minimally disrupt existing tax regimes, but the justices' various opinions leave the door open to future tax challenges and provide clues for what the battles may look like, say Caroline Ngo and Le Chen at McDermott.