The Supreme Court of Montana affirmed a lower court’s determination that a taxpayer was liable for accommodations sales tax on its resort service fees, but did not owe accommodations sales tax for forfeited guest deposits or lodging facilities use tax on its resort service fees. The taxpayer, Boyne USA, Inc. owns and operates Big Sky
Noteworthy Cases
Blame the manager: Company that arranges, manages brand displays is a retailer for Washington B&O and retail sales tax purposes
On April 25, the Washington Court of Appeals held that a company that arranges and manages displays for installation and placement in multiple retail brands’ stores through subcontractors was subject to the state’s retailing business and occupation tax (the “B&O tax”) and retail sales tax as a retailer making retail sales, rather than a provider…
SALT Scoreboard – First Quarter 2022
This is the first edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2022. 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 first quarter of 2022 now!
No Maryland sales and use tax exemption for for-profit company’s purchases made for non-profit hospitals
The Maryland Court of Appeals held that a for-profit company’s purchases for non-profit hospitals were subject to Maryland’s sales and use tax because there was no agency relationship between the company and the hospitals, and even if an agency relationship existed, that alone would not entitle the for-profit company to an exemption.
Johns Hopkins Health…
Prepare for takeoff: Minnesota’s minimum fee is partially preempted by federal law prohibiting taxation of airline gross receipts
The Minnesota Tax Court ruled that the federal Anti-Head Tax Act (AHTA) preempts using Alaska Airlines’ gross receipts when calculating the Minnesota Franchise Tax Minimum Fee. The AHTA prohibits states from taxing gross receipts from air commerce or transportation. Minnesota’s Minimum Fee, imposed on taxpayers exercising a corporate franchise in the state, is calculated based…
Rocky road for bad debts: Colorado Court denies credit to finance company
The Colorado Court of Appeals held that sales tax bad debt credits may not be claimed by a financial company that issued private label credit cards. As a private label retail credit card issuer, Capital One financed purchases made by its cardholders. Under the terms of its agreements with retailers, Capital One financed purchases made…
SALT Scoreboard – Fourth Quarter 2021
This is the fourth edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2021. 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 2021 now!
Whew: 2021 year in review
2021 will be remembered for many reasons: the continuation of the pandemic, the commercialization of space travel, and the rise of meme stocks among others. 2021 also will be remembered for the frenetic pace of state tax developments. The Eversheds Sutherland SALT team was kept busy tracking and summarizing state and local tax developments –…
Louisiana Court of Appeal overrules uneven application of franchise fees
The Louisiana Court of Appeal, Second Circuit ruled that a city franchise fee imposed on a telecommunications company was discriminatory in violation of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the “Act”) where the fee was charged to a taxpayer pursuant to a bilateral contract but not charged to the taxpayer’s competitor.
The city brought a…
SALT Scoreboard – Third Quarter 2021
This is the third edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard for 2021. 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 2021 now!