State & Local
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July 11, 2024
Fire Fee Reversal Risks 'Chaos' For Cities, Detroit Says
The city of Detroit urged Michigan Supreme Court justices to leave in place a decision that said its fire inspection fees are not a disguised unlawful tax because reversing it could send municipalities into "chaos" over their permit and license fee practices.
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July 11, 2024
Accounting Firm Contests Blame For Client's $2M Tax Bill
An accounting firm maintains it had no duty to inform an online flower bulb retailer about a major change in tax law stemming from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 Wayfair decision, telling the North Carolina Business Court that advising on such topics wasn't within the scope of its duties.
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July 11, 2024
Pa. Lawmakers OK Pittsburgh Homeowner Tax Break Program
Pennsylvania would authorize Pittsburgh to adopt a property tax relief program that would let longtime homeowners claim tax breaks related to rising real estate taxes under a bill that narrowly passed the state House and next goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.
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July 11, 2024
Mo. To Offer Tax Credits For Investments In Rural Areas
Missouri will allow the state Department of Economic Development to offer tax credits for capital investments in certain rural areas as part of a bill signed by the governor Thursday.
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July 11, 2024
Pa. Court Nixes School Board's Early Objections In Tax Fight
The Pennsylvania Department of Education and state tax board were the proper parties to be named in a group's challenge to the uniformity of a county's tax system, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Thursday, rejecting objections from the department and board.
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July 11, 2024
'Bridgegate' Defense Offers Road Map For NJ RICO Case
Counsel for the powerful New Jersey mogul and Democratic operatives facing explosive racketeering charges are likely to justify their actions as just business, experts told Law360, describing defense tactics similar to the ones that absolved defendants in "Bridgegate," New Jersey's most notorious politics-fueled crime in recent history.
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July 11, 2024
Mich. Asks Appeals Court To Rethink Nationwide's Tax Win
Michigan insurance companies that are part of Nationwide are required to file taxes as individual entities and not as a unitary group, Michigan's tax department said, asking the state Court of Appeals to reconsider its opinion in the case.
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July 11, 2024
Minn. Ends Fiscal Year $421M Ahead Of Revenue Estimates
Minnesota's total net revenue for the fiscal year was $421 million higher than forecast, according to the state Department of Management and Budget.
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July 11, 2024
Ohio Revenue Trails Estimates By $928M In Fiscal 2024
Ohio's general revenue in the 2024 fiscal year was $928 million lower than estimates, according to the state Office of Budget and Management.
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July 11, 2024
Ohio Justices To Hear Arguments In Aramark Tax Dispute
Hospitality services provider Aramark will argue its appeal of a denied tax break for reimbursements received from clients before the Ohio Supreme Court and not before a master commissioner, the court said Thursday.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Panel Says Tax Amendment Challenge Had No Real Claim
A New Jersey state appeals court on Wednesday tossed a challenge to an amendment blocking certain appeals from being litigated in the state's tax court, reasoning that parties can still fight tax matters in trial court.
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July 10, 2024
Pa. House OKs EV Fee, End Of Tax On Residential Charging
Pennsylvania would impose an annual fee on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and eliminate an alternative fuels tax on electricity for charging done at private residences under a bill the state House of Representatives passed Wednesday.
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July 10, 2024
MGM's Suit Against Mich. Tax For Ill. Riverboat Sale Tossed
A Michigan subsidiary of MGM failed a requirement to request an alternative apportionment method before going to court in its challenge of a corporate income tax assessed on gains from its sale of an interest in a riverboat casino, the state Court of Claims ruled.
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July 10, 2024
A&E Overcomes NYC's Rejection Of Debt Deductions
A&E Television Networks may claim a New York City corporate tax deduction for certain debt expenses, a city administrative law judge said in a determination released Wednesday, saying deductions allowed federally are also allowed against the city tax.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Expands Film Tax Credit To More Digital Productions
New Jersey expanded its film tax credit program's definition of digital media content to include other forms of digital content under a bill signed Wednesday by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
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July 10, 2024
Ohio Board Boosts Value Of Wendy's Property To $2.1M
An Ohio city and school board proved that a property housing a newly constructed Wendy's restaurant was undervalued based on comparable properties in the area and that its value should be increased to $2.1 million, the state's Board of Tax Appeals ruled.
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July 10, 2024
Fla. Net Revenue Through May Beats Estimates By $1B
Florida's net revenue collection from July 2023 through May was $1.06 billion higher than estimates, according to the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
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July 10, 2024
Calif. Ends Fiscal Year With Revenue $3B Over Estimates
California's general fund revenue in the 2024 fiscal year was $3 billion higher than estimated, the California state controller said Wednesday.
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July 09, 2024
NY Judge In Trump Case OKs Narrow Subpoena For Atty
An attorney who told reporters he held an impromptu hallway conversation with a New York state judge in the lead-up to February's $464.6 million civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump must turn over any communications he had with the court regarding the underlying action, according to a Tuesday ruling.
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July 09, 2024
Calif. Health Players Back Managed Care Tax Amid Uncertainty
A ballot measure backed by some of the biggest healthcare players in California is designed to protect billions of dollars in revenue for the state's Medicaid program. Its impact may hinge on persuading more doctors to serve low-income patients.
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July 09, 2024
Mont. Floats Regs To Implement Income Tax Changes
Montana would implement legislation enacted in 2021 that made substantive changes to the state's individual income tax under regulatory updates proposed by the state Department of Revenue.
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July 09, 2024
Mo. Exempts Streaming, Satellite Cos. From Local Fees
Missouri will exempt streaming and satellite TV companies from local franchise fees as part of two bills signed into law by the governor Tuesday, despite cities in the state banding together to seek such fees from Netflix, Hulu, DirecTV and others in class actions.
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July 09, 2024
Ohio Justice Criticizes Dialysis Co.'s Tax Apportionment Claim
An Ohio Supreme Court justice expressed deep skepticism Tuesday about a dialysis company's arguments that a portion of its receipts from medical services that it provided to Ohio patients should be sourced to other states.
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July 09, 2024
Mich. Property Tax Elimination Fails To Get On 2024 Ballot
A constitutional amendment that would have eliminated Michigan's property taxes will not appear on the 2024 state ballot after its backers failed to submit the signatures needed to qualify, the secretary of state's office confirmed Tuesday.
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July 09, 2024
Ex-NRA Finance Chief Agrees To 10-Year NY Nonprofit Ban
A former chief financial officer of the National Rifle Association has agreed not to serve as a fiduciary of a New York nonprofit for 10 years as part of a settlement in the state attorney general's suit in state court alleging he and other executives misused donor money, according to deal terms disclosed Tuesday.
La. Tax Chief Urges Quick Rewrite Of Constitution's Tax Rules
Louisiana's top tax official pushed lawmakers Thursday to propose a series of changes to the state constitution's tax rules next month, calling it paramount for the proposal to go before voters on the November ballot before next year's legislative session.
Apple Challenges $14.8M Fla. Tax Bill In Sourcing Dispute
Apple asked a Florida state court to find that the state Department of Revenue incorrectly sourced revenue from sales of digital services and licensing agreements to in-state customers instead of out-of-state locations where the company performed its work, according to a complaint Law360 obtained Thursday.
NJ OKs Relaxing Worker Location Rules For Tax Credits
New Jersey made it easier for businesses with remote employees to qualify for some of the state's tax breaks and grant programs by loosening the state's employee location requirement under a bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday.
Editor's Pick
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Law360 Revenue Report Map Tracks Health Of State Coffers
As state coffers fluctuate because of federal pandemic aid drying up, demographics shifting and remote work becoming commonplace, Law360 Tax Authority is providing up-to-date coverage on state tax revenue with the launch of its Revenue Report Map.
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Nev. Sales Tax Revenue In Jan. Rises $23.8M From Last Year
Nevada brought in $23.8 million more in sales tax revenue in January than in the same month last year, the state Department of Taxation said in a monthly report.
Featured Stories
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Calif. Health Players Back Managed Care Tax Amid Uncertainty
A ballot measure backed by some of the biggest healthcare players in California is designed to protect billions of dollars in revenue for the state's Medicaid program. Its impact may hinge on persuading more doctors to serve low-income patients.
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How Reshaped Circuit Courts Are Faring At The High Court
Seminal rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court's latest term will reshape many facets of American society in the coming years. Already, however, the rulings offer glimpses of how the justices view specific circuit courts, which have themselves been reshaped by an abundance of new judges.
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The Sharpest Dissents From The Supreme Court Term
The U.S. Supreme Court's session ended with a series of blockbuster cases that granted the president broad immunity, changed federal gun policy and kneecapped administrative agencies. And many of the biggest decisions fell along partisan lines.
Expert Analysis
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States Should Loosen Law Firm Ownership Restrictions
Despite growing buzz, normalized nonlawyer ownership of law firms is a distant prospect, so the legal community should focus first on liberalizing state restrictions on attorney and firm purchases of practices, which would bolster succession planning and improve access to justice, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.
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Texas Ethics Opinion Flags Hazards Of Unauthorized Practice
The Texas Professional Ethics Committee's recently issued proposed opinion finding that in-house counsel providing legal services to the company's clients constitutes the unauthorized practice of law is a valuable clarification given that a UPL violation — a misdemeanor in most states — carries high stakes, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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How To Clean Up Your Generative AI-Produced Legal Drafts
As law firms increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence tools to produce legal text, attorneys should be on guard for the overuse of cohesive devices in initial drafts, and consider a few editing pointers to clean up AI’s repetitive and choppy outputs, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.
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A Tale Of 2 Trump Cases: The Rule Of Law Is A Live Issue
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this week in Trump v. U.S., holding that former President Donald Trump has broad immunity from prosecution, undercuts the rule of law, while the former president’s New York hush money conviction vindicates it in eight key ways, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.
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Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron
The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.
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3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron
The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.
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Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem
The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.
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Less Power To The People: SALT In Review
Starting with a measure that won't appear on the California ballot in November, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule
Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.
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6 Tips For Maximizing After-Tax Returns In Private M&A Deals
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.
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After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
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.
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Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
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.
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Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence
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.