By Mike Kerman and Jonathan Feldman
The Florida Department of Revenue advised that certain materials and labor a taxpayer plans to use to construct a combined heating and power plant will be exempt from Florida sales and use tax. The plant will produce electricity for sale. Florida exempts purchases of machinery and equipment necessary to
use tax
Minnesota DOR to Pay Taxpayer’s Attorney’s Fees from Challenging a Not “Substantially Justified” Assessment
By Alla Raykin andf Eric Coffill
The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the Minnesota Tax Court’s award of attorney’s fees to a taxpayer that had challenged the Minnesota Commissioner of Revenue’s assessment of sales and use tax. The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed the Tax Court decision, because it reasonably concluded that the Commissioner’s additional use tax…
Taxing the Internet Media Stream – South Carolina Determines Streaming Media Charges Are Taxable
By Robert Merten and Madison Barnett
The South Carolina Department of Revenue issued a revenue ruling concluding that charges paid by customers to stream media content over the Internet, such as movies, music and television programs, are subject to state sales and use tax. Under South Carolina law, the statutory definition of “tangible personal property&rdquo…
Software + Services = No Tax: Bundles of Electronically-Transferred Software and Related Services Not Subject to Georgia Sales and Use Tax
By Nick Kump and Marc Simonetti
The Georgia Department of Revenue (Department) released a letter ruling stating that a taxpayer’s sales of computer software and related services were not subject to sales and use tax. The taxpayer sold bundled packages for a single price that included electronically transferred computer software with corresponding updates and upgrades…
Alabama Regulation Requires Software Update: Tax Tribunal Holds Modified Software Is Nontaxable Custom Software
By Hanish Patel and Eric Coffill
The Alabama Tax Tribunal held that a taxpayer was entitled to a refund of sales taxes paid on purchases of software that was modified for its exclusive use because it constituted nontaxable custom software. Relying on its regulation, the Alabama Department of Revenue (DOR) denied the refund, stating the…
New York Calling: Phone Card Kiosk Sales Subject to Sales Tax, but Not Telecommunications Excise Tax
By Douglas Upton and Timothy Gustafson
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance issued an Advisory Opinion concluding that a retail operator of kiosks selling various prepaid telecommunication plans and additional telecommunication rights for existing plans was subject to New York sales and use tax collection and remittance requirements, but was not subject…
There’s Something in the Water: Arkansas Denies Manufacturing Exemption to Equipment Used at Water Treatment Facility
By Stephen Burroughs and Scott Wright
The Supreme Court of Arkansas recently upheld use tax assessments imposed upon a contractor that purchased and installed equipment used in a water treatment facility expansion. Arkansas exempts from sales and use tax purchases of machinery and equipment used to create or expand a manufacturing or processing facility in…
Purposeful By-Product: Louisiana Supreme Court Determines Purchases of Limestone Used in Electricity Generation Qualified for ‘Further Processing Exclusion’ Under Louisiana Sales & Use Tax
By Marc Simonetti and Douglas Upton
The Louisiana Supreme Court concluded that limestone purchased for the dual purpose of absorbing sulfur during the generation of electricity and producing ash for sale to third parties was excluded from the definition of a “sale at retail” by application of the “further processing exclusion” under the Louisiana sales…
Here’s the Deal: Georgia Governor Signs Several Significant Tax Bills
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has signed into law several significant tax bills, affecting various Georgia tax matters, including sales and use taxes, property taxes, corporate income taxes and state tax credits, which:
- Adjust Georgia’s statutory interest rates applicable for both assessments and refunds for all tax types, as well as create new procedural requirements for
…
Alabama Tax Tribunal Determines Out-of-State Bookseller Has Nexus, Joins “Club”
By Zack Atkins and Eric Coffill
The Alabama Tax Tribunal concluded that an out-of-state retailer was required to collect and remit use tax on the sales of books and educational materials to in-state teachers and students, and that neither the Due Process Clause nor the Commerce Clause impeded the Alabama Department of Revenue’s authority to…



