State & Local

  • October 09, 2024

    Election Uncertainty Hampers Companies' Tax Planning

    With the November election approaching, businesses are bracing for the potential impact of two very different sets of tax policies, with the resulting uncertainty making long-term tax planning increasingly difficult.

  • October 09, 2024

    Calif. OTA Denies Redo On $200K Tax Bill For Med Equipment

    A California orthopedic equipment provider will not get a rehearing on a $200,000 sales tax assessment for items found to not qualify for an exemption allowed for medicine, the state Office of Tax Appeals said.

  • October 09, 2024

    Calif. OTA Says Spouse's Tax Refund Claim Untimely

    A California spouse was correctly denied an income tax refund for tax years 2009 and 2010 for overpayments owed to their deceased partner because the claim was filed outside the statute of limitations, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.

  • October 08, 2024

    Louisiana High Court Won't Review Expedia's Hotel Tax Win

    The Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected state and local government appeals of a ruling that said Expedia and some of its affiliates do not owe Louisiana sales taxes on the full price of accommodation rentals they charged to customers booking through their platforms.

  • October 08, 2024

    Tax Pact Rejects Option For Multiple Sales Tax Rate Structure

    The Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have allowed states that participate in the sales tax simplification compact it oversees to adopt a second sales tax rate in a specific area, a move that left Nebraska noncompliant with the compact.

  • October 08, 2024

    Tax Pact OKs Challenges To State Compliance Determinations

    The Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board approved on Tuesday a clarification to the tax simplification compact it oversees that specifies that challenges can be lodged against certain board decisions, including whether a state's tax system complies with the compact.

  • October 08, 2024

    Tax Pact Board OKs Requiring More State Nexus, Tax Info

    The Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board approved a set of disclosed practices Tuesday that will require states that participate in the tax simplification compact that it oversees to specify how they make nexus and tax determinations in certain scenarios.

  • October 08, 2024

    Hawaiian Justices Revive Airline's $1.6M Tax Appeal

    A tax appeal by Hawaiian Airlines was incorrectly dismissed, Hawaii's highest court ruled, remanding the case to the state tax court for a decision over whether the airline is liable for a $1.6 million assessment.

  • October 08, 2024

    Pa. Justices Wary Of Linking Mask Tax To Consumer Harms

    Several justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court seemed cautious Tuesday about extending the state's consumer protection law liability to retailers who collect sales tax on tax-exempt items, pointing to the state's refund system as an existing form of relief for overcharged customers.

  • October 08, 2024

    Fla. Waives Dyed Fuel Penalties Following Helene

    Florida will temporarily waive penalties for businesses and individuals that use or sell dyed diesel fuel for on-highway use through Oct. 15 in response to Hurricane Helene, the state Department of Revenue said.

  • October 08, 2024

    Mo. Revenue Collection Drops $127M From Previous Year

    Missouri's net revenue collection from July through September sank $127 million from the same period last fiscal year, according to a report by the state Department of Revenue.

  • October 08, 2024

    SD Tax Revenues Through Sept. Down $10M From Forecast

    South Dakota's general fund revenue from July through September trailed a budget estimate by $10 million, according to the state Bureau of Finance and Management.

  • October 07, 2024

    Pa. Supreme Court Snapshot: Mask Taxes, Pride Month Post

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court during its October argument session will weigh whether retailers improperly collecting sales tax on face masks, which were exempted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, amounts to "commerce" that could trigger the state's consumer protection law. ​

  • October 07, 2024

    Mich. Supreme Court Snapshot: Insulin Prices, Disney Audit

    The Michigan Supreme Court's first oral argument session of the 2024-25 term promises to be a busy one, involving an investigation into Eli Lilly's insulin prices with big implications for the scope of Michigan's consumer protection law and Disney's appeal of an order to turn over decades-old uncashed checks to the state treasurer.

  • October 07, 2024

    Mont. Tax Revenue Through Sept. Up $4M From Last Year

    Montana's general fund revenue from July through September climbed $4 million higher than the total for that period last year, according to a monthly report by the state Department of Revenue.

  • October 07, 2024

    Treasury Proposes Exempting Tribal Cos. From Income Tax

    Tribal-owned businesses would not be subject to federal income tax under proposed regulations released Monday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, a move that would also allow such entities to be eligible to receive direct cash payments in lieu of clean energy tax credits.

  • October 07, 2024

    Stormwater Fees Not Illegal Tax, Mich. Appellate Panel Finds

    Stormwater drainage charges in Ann Arbor constitute a lawful fee and not an illegal tax, the Michigan Appeals Court ruled, saying the charges did not require voter approval as demanded under the state constitution for increased local tax rates.

  • October 07, 2024

    Ark. Net Revenue Tops Forecast By $18M Through Sept.

    Arkansas net general revenue from July through September exceeded an estimate by $18 million, the state Department of Finance and Administration reported.

  • October 07, 2024

    Va. Provides Tax Deadline Relief For Hurricane Helene Victims

    Virginia will waive interest and penalties for late personal income tax filings and payments in areas of the state affected by Hurricane Helene, the state Department of Taxation said.

  • October 07, 2024

    Va. Rejects Full Add-Back Exception For Royalty Payments

    A company that files and pays Virginia tax can only be eligible for a partial exception to the state's add-back for royalty payments made to its affiliate out of state, the state tax commissioner ruled. 

  • October 07, 2024

    Ariz. Solar Facility Cost Was Purchase Price, Court Says

    Arizona was correct to use the purchase price of a solar power facility as its original cost for tax valuation purposes, but a dispute remains on whether that value reflected only the equipment at issue, the state's tax court said.

  • October 07, 2024

    Justices Won't Hear Construction Co.'s SD Use Tax Appeal

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a construction company's argument that South Dakota's refusal to apportion use tax on its equipment based on the number of days it was used in the state was unconstitutional.

  • October 07, 2024

    High Court Won't Look At Texas Tax Foreclosure Fight

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to review a Texas high court ruling that upended an oil company's victory over litigants challenging the tax foreclosure sale of mineral interests.

  • October 04, 2024

    NH Revenue Through Sept. Misses Estimate By $20M

    New Hampshire total receipts from July through September fell short of a forecast by $20 million, according to a report by the state Department of Administrative Services.

  • October 04, 2024

    Pa. Church Denied Retroactive Appeal Of Assessment

    A Pennsylvania church was the one at fault for the delay in its property tax appeal and therefore isn't eligible to bring the appeal retroactively, the state Commonwealth Court ruled Friday. 

Expert Analysis

  • Credit Cards And Trading Cards: SALT In Review

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    From Mastercard's loss in a South Carolina court case to the taxability of trading cards imported to California, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

  • Calif. Budget Will Likely Have Unexpected Tax Consequences

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    A temporary suspension of net operating loss deductions and business incentive tax credits, likely to be approved on June 15 as part of California’s next budget, may create unanticipated tax liabilities for businesses that modeled recently completed transactions on current law, says Myra Sutanto Shen at Wilson Sonsini.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Alter Paraphernalia Imports

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    The Biden administration's recent proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use raises questions about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement policies may shift when it comes to enforcing a separate federal ban on marijuana accessory imports, says R. Kevin Williams at Clark Hill.

  • Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Ohio Tax Talk: The Legislative Push For Property Tax Relief

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    As Ohio legislators attempt to alleviate the increasing property tax burden, four recent bills that could significantly affect homeowners propose to eliminate replacement property tax levies, freeze property taxes for longtime homeowners, adjust homestead exemptions annually for inflation, and temporarily expand the homestead exemption, say Raghav Agnihotri and Rachael Chamberlain at Frost Brown.

  • Looking South With A Smile: SALT In Review

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    From Mississippi's long walk toward repealing its personal income tax to a welcome stroke for open government in Kentucky, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

  • Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys

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    As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case

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    The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.

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