State & Local
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May 07, 2024
Mo. Laundromat May Owe Sales Tax On Customer Payments
A Missouri laundromat wouldn't need to remit sales tax on payments made by its customers for use of its laundry machines if the company already paid sales tax when purchasing the machines, the state Department of Revenue said in a letter ruling.
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May 07, 2024
Calif. Tax Owed By Ex-President Of Delaware Corp., OTA Says
The former president of a corporation that was once based in California is the responsible party for the corporation's sales tax liability, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
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May 07, 2024
Colo. Lawmakers OK Tax Credit For Job Training Costs
Colorado would create an income tax credit for expenses associated with facility upgrades and purchases of equipment for training programs designed to alleviate staffing shortages as part of a bill passed by lawmakers that goes next to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 07, 2024
Tenn. To Let Cities Exempt Food From Sales Tax
Tennessee will allow municipalities that have adopted a city sales tax rate to exempt retail sales of food from the local tax under a bill signed by the governor.
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May 07, 2024
Fla. Net Revenue Through March Beats Estimates By $468M
Florida's net revenue collection from July through March was up $468 million over budget estimates, the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research reported.
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May 07, 2024
Colo. Senate Approves Property Tax Cuts
Colorado would extend temporary property tax rate reductions into 2024 and set lower rates for future years under bipartisan legislation passed Tuesday by the state Senate that is forecast to save property owners nearly $1 billion in its first year if enacted.
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May 07, 2024
ITFA Protects Apple Music From City Tax, La. Board Says
New Orleans' attempt to impose sales tax on Apple Music streaming subscriptions is blocked by a federal law that prohibits discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce, the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals ruled.
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May 07, 2024
Ala. Sees Dip In Net Revenue Through April
Alabama collected roughly $23.49 million less in net revenue from October through April than it did during the same period last fiscal year, the state Department of Revenue reported.
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May 07, 2024
Calif. Solar Co.'s Tax Assessment Not Time Barred, OTA Says
The increased tax assessment on a California solar lighting company was not barred by the statute of limitations because the company and government failed to tell the state about the federal adjustment, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
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May 06, 2024
Unclaimed Property Class Action Against Pa. Treasurer Axed
A Pennsylvania federal judge has tossed a potential class action challenging the constitutionality of the state's unclaimed property law, finding that the state treasurer doesn't have to pay interest on property that was otherwise abandoned.
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May 06, 2024
NJ Pitches Rule Allocating Tax On Nonresident Stock Options
New Jersey would create a formula for calculating a nonresident's state tax liability on compensation from stock options under a proposed regulation issued Monday.
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May 06, 2024
NJ Justices Erase Gov't Workplace Probe Confidentiality Rule
The New Jersey Supreme Court on Monday struck down part of a state statute that directs investigators to request, but not require, confidentiality in discrimination or harassment investigations involving state workers, ruling the provision still reached too far and chilled protected speech.
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May 06, 2024
Texas Net Revenue Down Through April, Comptroller Says
Texas' net revenue collection from September through April dropped compared with the same period last fiscal year, the state comptroller's office said in a monthly report.
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May 06, 2024
Colo. Lawmakers OK Land Cleanup Tax Credit Extension
Colorado would extend its income tax credit for certain costs of environmental remediation of contaminated property for five years under legislation approved unanimously Monday by the state Senate and sent to the governor.
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May 06, 2024
Wash. Woman Fights NJ Tax Bill Tied To Fed. Filing Status
A woman who lived in Washington state while married to a New Jersey resident challenged the latter state's assessment of income tax against her, arguing that the couple could file separately in the state even though they filed a joint federal return.
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May 06, 2024
NJ Subdivision Assessment Spike Should Remain, Court Says
The property value of a city block bought and developed in New Jersey increased correctly based on the subdivision, the state Tax Court ruled, rejecting the property owner's argument that the assessment was wrong because the city forgot to set the new property lines.
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May 06, 2024
Colo. Lawmakers OK Oil, Gas Fees Despite Tax Concerns
The Colorado Legislature passed a bill Monday under which the state would impose two fees on oil and gas production despite calls from lawmakers who said the proposal was structured to skirt limits on that body's taxing authority.
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May 06, 2024
Minn. House OKs Tax Bill With Corp. Disclosure Rule
Minnesota would demand disclosure of certain corporate franchise tax information and examine the prospect of worldwide combined reporting under parts of an omnibus tax package passed by the state House of Representatives.
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May 06, 2024
Fla. Changes Reporting Rules For 3rd-Party Payment Entities
Florida will require payment settlement entities such as PayPal or Apple Pay that conduct transactions involving payees with addresses in the state to create a method for identifying transactions for goods and services and report that information to the state tax department under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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May 06, 2024
Miss. Will Impose Excise Tax On Heated Tobacco Products
Mississippi will impose an excise tax on heated tobacco products, targeting single-use electronic cigarettes under a bill signed by the governor.
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May 06, 2024
Mo. Use Tax Applies To Ill. Co.'s Items Fabricated In State
An out-of-state pipe company owes Missouri use tax on materials that were delivered to a Missouri fabricator for modification before being shipped to an out-of-state customer, the state Department of Revenue said.
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May 06, 2024
Mass. April Revenue Up 32% Over 2023
Massachusetts' revenue collection for the month of April was up 32% over April 2023, the state Department of Revenue said in a report.
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May 06, 2024
RI Justices Rule Co. Waived Right To Appeal Tax Credit Loss
A Rhode Island real estate company forfeited its right to protest the state Division of Taxation's determination revoking its historic preservation tax credits by signing a settlement agreement, the state Supreme Court said, overruling a lower court.
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May 03, 2024
Informal Tax Guidance May Defy APAs, Panelists Say
How far states can go in adopting informal guidance without running afoul of administrative procedure acts is a vexing question that has prompted significant litigation, panelists said Friday.
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May 03, 2024
Ohio Justices Urged To Uphold Tax On Goods Held In State
Ohio's imposition of its gross receipts tax on a Kansas-based soap company's goods that were temporarily held in Ohio distribution centers before being shipped elsewhere passes constitutional muster, the state Department of Taxation told the Ohio Supreme Court.
Expert Analysis
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A Ministry Of Silly Ideas: SALT In Review
From proposals before a District of Columbia tax revision panel to the defeat of an income tax cut in North Dakota, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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What Ariz. Ruling Means For Taxation Of Digital Services
The Arizona Supreme Court recently declined to review ADP v. Arizona Department of Revenue, letting stand a state appeals court's ruling that software as a service is a taxable rental of tangible personal property, essentially granting the department of revenue power to tax all digital services, say Karen Lowell and Pat Derdenger at Lewis Roca.
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Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence
Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes
Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.
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Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys
Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.
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The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'
The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.
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Permanence And Other Elusive Notions: SALT In Review
From a Michigan income tax that may or may not be permanent to a victory in court for online travel companies, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform
The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.
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How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing
Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
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How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies
Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.
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Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial
Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.
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Potential Calamities, Greatly Exaggerated: SALT In Review
From fears of judicial upheaval to a tax break for space travel, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times
As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.