On January 29, 2025, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania held that a telecommunications company’s “non-voice” private line services were subject to the state’s gross receipts tax (GRT). The taxpayer described its services as offering “a dedicated, uninterrupted communications channel” by which their customers could “securely … and continuously transport voice, video and/or data as packets
Noteworthy Cases
Washington Board of Tax Appeals agrees content delivery network services are subject to retailing B&O tax and retail sales tax
A content delivery network (CDN) services provider appealed the Department’s assessment of retail sales tax in which the Department determined that the taxpayer’s CDN services were “digital automated services” subject to the retailing B&O tax and retail sales tax. The taxpayer disagreed, noting that its CDN is a “backbone” component of the internet that its…
Voter approval required: Michigan Supreme Court invalidates franchise fee
The Michigan Supreme Court held that a franchise fee imposed by the City of East Lansing and charged to customers by the Lansing Board of Water and Light (LBWL) violated Michigan’s constitution because the fee constituted a new local tax that was imposed without voter approval.
Under an agreement with the City, LBWL collected franchise…
SALT Scoreboard – Fourth Quarter 2024
This is the fourth edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2024. Since 2016, we have tallied the results of significant taxpayer wins and losses and analyzed those results.
View our Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard results from the fourth quarter of 2024 now!

Out-of-state administrative services sourced to Ohio for Commercial Activity Tax purposes
The Supreme Court of Ohio held that gross receipts from a taxpayer’s services performed out-of-state had situs with Ohio for purposes of the state’s commercial activity tax (CAT) because the benefit of the services was received in Ohio. The taxpayer provided dialysis services to patients in Ohio. To support the dialysis business, the taxpayer and…
Ohio Board of Tax Appeals holds motor vehicle sales sourced outside of Ohio for CAT
The Ohio Board of Tax Appeals held that automobile dealers were not subject to the Ohio Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) on their sales of motor vehicles because the purchase, receipt, and delivery of the vehicles took place entirely outside of Ohio. The Department of Taxation assessed the dealers, which were located in West Virginia, for…
SALT Scoreboard – Third Quarter 2024
This is the third edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2024. Since 2016, we have tallied the results of significant taxpayer wins and losses and analyzed those results.
View our Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard results from the third quarter of 2024 now!

SALT Scoreboard – Second Quarter 2024
This is the second edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2024. Since 2016, we have tallied the results of significant taxpayer wins and losses and analyzed those results.
View our Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard results from the second quarter of 2024 now!

South Carolina Court holds receipts from mortgage activities and credit cards should be sourced to state
The South Carolina Administrative Law Court upheld a bank tax assessment that was based on adjustments made by the Department of Revenue to a taxpayer’s sales factor and tax base. The taxpayer, a national bank, offered a range of banking and trust services, and generated income by providing residential mortgages and other loans, and issuing…
Oregon Supreme Court holds prebook orders not subject to PL 86-272 protection
The Oregon Supreme Court recently held that an out-of-state tobacco manufacturer’s acceptance of prebook orders precluded it from availing itself of Public Law 86-272 protection against the imposition of the state’s corporate excise tax. In 1959, the U.S. Congress passed P.L. 86-272, which prohibits states from imposing a net income tax when the business’s only…