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
Constitution: Other
Third Circuit holds that principles of comity bar Federal Court challenge to New Jersey’s partnership filing fee
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a District Court’s dismissal of a taxpayer’s challenge to New Jersey’s partnership filing fee under the tax comity doctrine. The partnership filing fee was enacted by New Jersey in 2002 to offset the costs of reviewing and auditing partnership tax returns. The fee is a flat fee computed…
Time’s up: North Carolina DOR’s failure to timely issue required written statement invalidates assessment
A North Carolina Administrative Law Judge held that the Department of Revenue did not have the authority to adjust the taxpayer’s net income because the Department failed to timely issue a statutorily required written statement.
The Department believed the taxpayer had not accurately reported income properly attributable to North Carolina due to intercompany transactions that…
Shifting sands: Interest payments at issue in the latest installment of Maryland’s Wynne litigation
In a recent unreported decision, the Maryland Appellate Court held that taxpayers were not entitled to a 13 percent interest rate on a judgement after the legislature lowered the state’s refund interest rate during the pendency of the taxpayers’ appeal.
The taxpayers successfully challenged the limits that Maryland state law placed on the tax credit…
Virginia’s top court strikes down county tax relief program as unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Virginia recently upheld a circuit court decision invalidating a county’s plan to claw back tax refunds because it violated the state constitution’s uniform taxation requirement.
The Isle of Wight County changed the valuation methodology for its machinery and tools tax (“M&T tax”), resulting in approximately $5.6 million in refunds for tax…
Account access services are taxable digital automated services in Washington
The Washington Department of Revenue’s Administrative Review and Hearings Division recently ruled that a company’s account access services provided to credit unions constituted digital automated services subject to sales tax.
The taxpayer provided an online banking platform and an automated phone system to member credit unions, which in turn provided those services to their individual…
California Court Approves of Simple Majority Vote for Special Taxes Proposed by Voter Initiative
On May 11, a San Francisco trial court held that the California Constitution allows special local taxes proposed by voter initiative to be enacted with a simple majority vote, in contrast to the two-thirds vote required for special taxes proposed by local government. The ballot initiative in question imposed a $298 per parcel tax and…
“Pay up or shut up”: California Court of Appeal holds that taxpayer must pay up before challenging a tax regulation’s validity
The California Court of Appeal recently held that a taxpayer must pay a tax assessment before seeking a declaration that the regulation giving rise to the tax assessment is invalid. California taxpayers cannot challenge unpaid tax assessments under Article XIII, section 32 of the California Constitution (“Section 32”). Therefore, a taxpayer seeking to challenge an…
Kentucky Supreme Court Declines to Hear Ohio CAT Tax Dispute
On December 19, 2019, the Kentucky Supreme Court found in favor of the state of Ohio on its motion to dismiss a suit brought by a taxpayer in Kentucky state court against the State of Ohio. The taxpayer received an assessment for Ohio commercial activity tax (CAT) from the Ohio Department of Taxation, based on…