State & Local

  • June 25, 2024

    Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures

    Hawaii will impose fines for failures to comply with the reporting requirements of the state's general excise tax and transient accommodations tax laws as part of a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 25, 2024

    Hawaii Allows Tax Dept. To Serve Subpoenas Outside State

    Hawaii authorized its Department of Taxation to serve administrative subpoenas outside the state under a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 25, 2024

    Newsom Defends Calif. Tax Policy In State Of State Speech

    Gov. Gavin Newsom vigorously defended his state's fiscal policy Tuesday, declaring that California is not a high-tax state despite having the nation's highest overall individual income tax burden and highest gas tax.

  • June 25, 2024

    Bristol-Myers Fights NJ City's $4.6M Fee On Campus Upgrade

    Bristol-Myers Squibb asked the New Jersey Tax Court to reverse the state's upholding of a $4.6 million nonresidential development fee on renovations to buildings on a 91-acre campus, arguing the improvements were excluded from the levy.

  • June 25, 2024

    Hawaii Conforms To Fed. Code For Income, Estate Tax

    Hawaii conformed its income tax and estate and generation-skipping transfer tax laws to the federal tax code as amended through 2023 under a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 25, 2024

    Ohio Floats Rules Outlining Administration Of Cannabis Taxes

    The Ohio Department of Revenue published a proposed regulation outlining how the state will administer cannabis taxes, including assessment processes and recordkeeping requirements.

  • June 25, 2024

    Pa. Biz Group, Top Senate Tax Writer Oppose Biz Income Reg

    A proposed Pennsylvania regulation outlining what constitutes apportionable business income improperly suggests that the state could enforce combined reporting and ignore precedent limiting the taxation of multistate corporations, a business advocacy group and chair of the state Senate's tax-writing committee have argued.

  • June 25, 2024

    DC Council OKs Tax Hikes On High-End Property, Payroll

    Washington, D.C., would impose a special tax rate on high-end residential properties, boost the premium for the district's paid leave program and make other tax and spending changes under legislation passed Tuesday by the district council.

  • June 25, 2024

    Ariz. Court Slashes Value Of Low-Income Housing Complex

    An Arizona housing complex subject to restrictions related to federal low-income housing tax credits was overvalued by a local assessor, the Arizona Tax Court said, slashing the valuation of the property by about three-fourths.

  • June 25, 2024

    T-Mobile Settles Gross Receipts Tax Dispute With Ohio

    T-Mobile reached a settlement with Ohio over the company's claims that the state tax agency incorrectly sourced certain receipts and double-counted others when it issued a $775,000 commercial activity tax assessment, according to a state Board of Tax Appeals order issued Tuesday.

  • June 25, 2024

    La. Board Finds Part Of Water Levies To Be Illegal Tax

    A portion of a conservation district's charges for pumping water is an unconstitutional severance tax, the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals ruled, saying the charges weren't allowed to be used to fund a metering program.

  • June 25, 2024

    Ex-DOJ Atty Among New Trio At Chamberlain Hrdlicka

    Chamberlain Hrdlicka White Williams & Aughtry has strengthened its tax controversy and litigation practice with the addition of three attorneys in Atlanta, including a former senior trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice for more than three decades.

  • June 25, 2024

    Tax Pros Worry Credit Sales Could Raise Substance Issues

    Tax professionals are concerned that deals involving a new way to sell clean energy tax credits for cash could face IRS scrutiny after the agency scored a high-profile win over a telecommunications company by deploying an aggressive interpretation of what's known as the economic substance doctrine.

  • June 25, 2024

    Ore. Tax Court Affirms $13M Valuation For Lowe's Retail Outlet

    The Oregon Tax Court affirmed the $13.4 million tax valuation of a Lowe's home improvement warehouse, rejecting the company's argument that the property should be valued as if it did not have a lease in place.

  • June 24, 2024

    Conn. Gov. Calls Special Session To Address Tax On Cars

    Connecticut's governor called on the state Legislature to convene a special session Wednesday to consider legislation affecting taxes imposed on motor vehicles and other provisions governing assessments on insurance companies and interest payments imposed on certain businesses that kept employees on payroll during the pandemic.

  • June 24, 2024

    MTC Modifies Draft Rule On Sourcing Trucking Receipts

    The Multistate Tax Commission released a tweak to its draft alternative trucking sourcing rule that would strictly source receipts from ground transportation companies to the state of delivery during a meeting Monday.

  • June 24, 2024

    La. To Provide Sales Tax Rebates For Data Center Purchases

    Louisiana will provide state and local sales and use tax rebates for taxes paid on the lease or purchase of eligible data center equipment and the development, acquisition or repair of qualified data centers under a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 24, 2024

    Hawaii Lowers Pass-Through Tax, Allows Credit Carryover

    Hawaii cut the rate of tax it imposes on pass-through entities that elect to be taxed at the entity level and will allow pass-through tax credits to be carried forward to subsequent years under a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 24, 2024

    Tax Preparers Win Recommendation For Class Cert. In OT Suit

    A group of tax preparers have met the requirements to form a class in a suit accusing their former employer of failing to pay overtime, a New York federal magistrate judge said, rejecting the employer's argument that their request for class status came too late.

  • June 24, 2024

    NM Sued Over Sustainable Building Credit Award Process

    A New Mexico apartment complex alleges that the state violated its due process rights after it was denied sustainable building tax credits for most of its units, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

  • June 24, 2024

    Mass. Tax Board Won't Trim Home Value Over Area Conditions

    A Massachusetts homeowner's testimony of the poor condition of nearby properties was insufficient to lower his home's assessed value, a state tax panel said in a decision released Monday, upholding the value found by a local assessor.

  • June 24, 2024

    Ariz. Includes New Jet Fuels In Definition For Excise Tax

    Arizona expanded the definition of jet fuel subject to the state's 3.05-cent-per-gallon excise tax under legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

  • June 24, 2024

    La. Cuts Severance Tax Rates On Certain Oil, Gas Production

    Louisiana will temporarily reduce its severance tax rates on production from inactive and orphan oil and gas wells under a bill the governor signed.

  • June 21, 2024

    Supreme Court Leaves Lifeline For Billionaire Income Tax

    The U.S. Supreme Court narrowed but did not entirely block the path to billionaire income tax legislation when the majority's opinion declined to weigh constitutional questions about taxing unrealized gains in its decision to uphold a mandatory repatriation levy.

  • June 21, 2024

    Vt. Lawmakers Override Veto Of Short-Term Rental Surcharge

    Vermont legislators overrode the governor's veto of legislation that imposes a 3% surcharge on short-term rentals.

Featured Stories

  • Tax Pros Worry Credit Sales Could Raise Substance Issues

    Kat Lucero

    Tax professionals are concerned that deals involving a new way to sell clean energy tax credits for cash could face IRS scrutiny after the agency scored a high-profile win over a telecommunications company by deploying an aggressive interpretation of what's known as the economic substance doctrine.

  • Supreme Court Leaves Lifeline For Billionaire Income Tax

    Natalie Olivo

    The U.S. Supreme Court narrowed but did not entirely block the path to billionaire income tax legislation when the majority's opinion declined to weigh constitutional questions about taxing unrealized gains in its decision to uphold a mandatory repatriation levy.

  • The Tax Angle: More GOP TCJA Teams, Nonprofit Hospitals

    Stephen K. Cooper

    From a look at efforts by the Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee to prepare for next year's expiration of the 2017 tax overhaul law to a new call for nonprofit hospitals to provide more charity care, here's a peek into a reporter's notebook on a few of the week's developing tax stories.

Expert Analysis

  • 6 Tips For Maximizing After-Tax Returns In Private M&A Deals

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    With potential tax legislation likely to spur a surge in private business sales, sellers can make the most of after-tax proceeds with strategies that include price allocation and qualified investment options, say Isaac Grossman and Daniel Studin at Morrison Cohen.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence

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    As courts increasingly recognize that allowing unfettered evidence of wealth could prejudice a jury against a defendant, white collar defense counsel should consider several avenues for excluding visual evidence of a lavish lifestyle at trial, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • 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.