The Louisiana Court of Appeal reversed and remanded Bridges v. Polychim USA, Inc., No. 581,759, a case in which the trial court held that an out-of-state corporation was subject to the franchise tax by virtue of its indirect ownership interest in a general partnership doing business in Louisiana. Bridges v. Polychim USA, Inc.
Noteworthy Cases
This is Not a Joke: Federal Court to Consider Quill and Comity
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In the ongoing saga over Colorado’s use tax reporting laws in Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ordered a full briefing on the Comity Doctrine and the Commerce Clause on April 13. The outcome of this case could have broad implications for states and taxpayers seeking…
Louisiana Court Gives Taxpayer the Edge: Trade-In Credits Reduce Sales Tax Base
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By Suzanne Palms and Open Weaver Banks
The Louisiana Court of Appeal held that GameStop, a video game retailer, correctly applied trade-in credits to reduce the sales price of new items in determining local sales tax due. GameStop accepted used games from its customers in exchange for a trade-in amount on a stored value card…
Georgia Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Property Tax Incentives
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On March 27, 2015, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the legal validity of property tax incentives in Georgia, largely on procedural grounds. SJN Properties, LLC v. Fulton County Bd. of Tax Assessors, No. S14A1493, 2015 WL 1393398 (Ga. Mar. 27, 2015).
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Missouri DOR Gets Trained: Gym Rental Fees Not Subject to Sales Tax
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By Jessie Eisenmenger and Timothy Gustafson
The Missouri Supreme Court held that charges paid by a personal training company to a gym for the rental of office space and limited use of the fitness equipment when conducting personal training sessions are not subject to sales tax. The personal training company paid the gym $6,000 per…
Alabama DOR Proposes to Expand Rental Tax to Digital Transmissions and Multi-Purpose Cable Boxes
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By Charles Capouet and Open Weaver Banks
The Alabama Department of Revenue has proposed an amendment to the state’s rental tax regulation. If finalized, the regulation would tax the rental of “digital transmissions,” such as “on-demand” movies, television programs, streaming video, streaming audio and other similar programs, regardless of the method of transmission or the…
U.S. Supreme Court Sends 4-R Act Case Back to Lower Court for the Second Time
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A day after issuing its decision in Direct Marketing Ass’n v. Brohl, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Alabama Department of Revenue v. CSX Transportation, Inc. The Court held that a rail carrier can show discrimination under subsection (b)(4) of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 by demonstrating that it is…
All Nine Agree: U.S. Supreme Court Holds that the Tax Injunction Act Does Not Bar DMA’s Action in Federal Court
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Today the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held in Direct Marketing Ass’n v. Brohl that the Tax Injunction Act does not bar Direct Marketing Association’s federal lawsuit against Colorado’s sales tax reporting regime. The substantive challenge to the constitutionality of the reporting regime will continue at the Tenth Circuit. Continue reading…
Washington State Maintains the Straight and Narrow Path: DOR Finalizes Interim Policy on Getty Images Case
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By Evan Hamme and Madison Barnett
The Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR) issued an Excise Tax Advisory (ETA) making clear that Getty Images (Seattle), Inc. v. City of Seattle, 260 P.3d 926, 163 Wash. App. 590 (Wash. Ct. App. 2011), does not represent a major departure from established law in the context of…
South Carolina Court Changes the Channel on Cost of Performance Sourcing
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By Charles Capouet and Timothy Gustafson
The South Carolina Administrative Law Court found that South Carolina does not source sales of services with a strict cost of performance method. The taxpayer, a broadcasting corporation, provides access to digital television entertainment via satellite dishes across the United States, including South Carolina. On audit, the South Carolina…