State & Local
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July 26, 2024
Biz Groups Call Corp. Transparency Act Unconstitutional
The U.S. government has failed to show how the Corporate Transparency Act meets narrow exceptions to the Fourth Amendment's search warrant requirements, a group of small businesses told a Michigan federal court Friday in contending that the statute is unconstitutional.
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July 26, 2024
The Tax Angle: TCJA Prep, IRS Phone Problems
From a look at Democrats' preparation to rewrite the 2017 GOP tax law to the Internal Revenue Service's continuing problems with providing customer service to tax professionals, here's a peek into a reporter's notebook on a few of the week's developing tax stories.
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July 26, 2024
Ind. Tax Court Says Tax Cap Acre Limitation Unconstitutional
The Indiana Constitution doesn't permit a fixed 1-acre limitation on land eligible for the state's 1% property tax cap, the state tax court said, siding with a couple who argued their entire property qualified for the cap.
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July 26, 2024
Uber Accused Of Illegally Charging Tax On Delivery Fees
Uber illegally collects sales tax on food delivery fees in Florida, a customer claimed in a proposed class action removed to federal court, saying the company cannot charge the tax if customers have the option of picking up the order themselves.
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July 26, 2024
Ohio McDonald's Properly Valued At $1.9M, Board Says
An Ohio McDonald's was properly valued at $1.9 million by the county appraiser, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled Friday, rejecting the business's bid to have the value lowered to $1.18 million.
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July 26, 2024
Taxation With Representation: Wachtell, Polsinelli, Kirkland
In this week's Taxation With Representation, T-Mobile partners with KKR to acquire Metronet, Exclusive Networks gets a takeover offer, KKR buys Instructure Holdings Inc., and Bally's Corp. merges with The Queen Casino & Entertainment Inc.
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July 26, 2024
Ariz. Revenues In Fiscal Year 2024 Up $563M From Forecast
Arizona's general revenue collection in the 2024 fiscal year was $563 million higher than estimated, according to the state Joint Budget Committee.
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July 26, 2024
SC Tax Applies To Durable Med Equipment Sales, Dept. Says
Sales of durable medical equipment in South Carolina are subject to sales tax, which must be collected and remitted on sales completed after June 26, following a state Supreme Court ruling that found an exemption for such sales to be invalid, the state Department of Revenue said.
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July 25, 2024
Trump Judge Won't Exit Over 'Nothingburger' Atty Encounter
The New York judge who ordered Donald Trump to pay $465 million in penalties in his civil fraud case Thursday rejected the former president's demand that he step down from the case, saying a brief hallway encounter with an attorney acquaintance was a "nothingburger" that did not influence his decision.
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July 25, 2024
Conn.'s Added Tax On Warranties Called Double Taxation
The Connecticut state tax commissioner's levy of an additional tax on extended vehicle warranties connected to out-of-state vehicle sales is double taxation because the warranties are already taxed by the buyer's home state, a Connecticut-based auto wholesaler told a state trial court.
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July 25, 2024
Louisiana Lawmakers Hit Brakes On Tax Overhaul Proposals
Louisiana's legislative leadership said Thursday that it won't move forward with a special session to overhaul the state's tax system in the near future, rebuffing a push from the governor to place sweeping changes to the state's tax structure on the November ballot.
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July 25, 2024
NJ To Provide Up To $500M In Tax Credits For AI Projects
New Jersey will provide up to $500 million in tax credits to artificial intelligence businesses that make a capital investment of at least $100 million and create at least 100 full-time jobs under a bill Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed Thursday.
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July 25, 2024
Ohio Board Incorrectly Calculated Land, Improvement Value
An Ohio warehouse property had its land value incorrectly increased to $1.2 million, from $715,000, a state appeals court ruled Thursday after finding no evidence was presented that warranted a change in its value.
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July 25, 2024
Pa. Dept. Urged To Review Concerns Over Biz Income Rule
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue should review stakeholders' critiques of a proposed regulation that outlines what constitutes apportionable business income and meet with aggrieved stakeholders to ensure the regulation is consistent with state tax law, an independent commission said.
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July 25, 2024
Neb. Bill Resurrects Digital Ad Tax Plan In Special Session
Nebraska lawmakers, calling for property tax relief in a special legislative session, resubmitted Thursday a proposal to fund property tax cuts with a tax on gross receipts from digital advertising services and by broadening the state's sales tax regime.
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July 25, 2024
NJ Justices Affirm Verizon's Local Tax Bill On Equipment
A Verizon entity must pay personal property tax on equipment at a switching station in a New Jersey borough, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, upholding lower court rulings that agreed with the town's application of a law outlining when telephone companies are subject to tax.
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July 25, 2024
NY Beverage Co.'s Tax Permit Properly Pulled, Court Says
New York's tax agency was within its authority to revoke the license of a $100 million wholesale beverage distributor for willfully failing to file required information about its customers, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.
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July 25, 2024
Clark Hill Adds Tax And Estate Atty From Plunk Smith In Texas
A former Plunk Smith PLLC senior associate jumped to Clark Hill in Collin County, Texas, to serve as a member in the tax and estate planning practice, the firm announced Thursday.
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July 25, 2024
NJ Town's Challenge To County Tax Table Can Proceed
A New Jersey town may continue challenging a county's 2024 equalization table, the New Jersey Tax Court ruled, rejecting the county's argument that the town waited too long to make the challenge.
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July 25, 2024
Ohio Church Too Late For Retroactive Tax Refund, Board Says
An Ohio church cannot be refunded for a retroactive property tax exemption for 2014 through 2016 because the state tax commissioner only has the authority to issue refunds for up to three years, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled.
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July 25, 2024
Ore. Court Won't Toss Law Capping Taxable Home Values
A homeowner's attempt to lower the taxable value of his property was denied by the Oregon Tax Court, which said it did not have the authority to determine whether a law capping annual taxable value increases for some properties was unconstitutional.
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July 24, 2024
Pfizer's Fuel Cells Can't Be Taxed, Conn. Justices Rule
A fuel cell module that powers Pfizer Inc.'s research campus in Groton, Connecticut, is not subject to personal property taxes, the state's high court ruled Wednesday, upholding a lower court decision that allowed FuelCell Inc. to avoid several multimillion-dollar local tax assessments and penalties.
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July 24, 2024
Mich. Tribunal Upholds $4.4M Value For Car Wash
A Michigan car wash was correctly valued at $4.4 million, the state Tax Tribunal said after rejecting the property owner's argument that the value should be reduced due to functional obsolescence.
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July 24, 2024
Book Publisher Settles Gross Receipts Tax Dispute With Ohio
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing LLC settled its appeal of a nearly $143,000 Ohio commercial activity tax assessment, ending a case in which it alleged that a federal law that limits state taxes on net income protected certain gross receipts from tax.
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July 24, 2024
Ohio Chicken Farm Ruled Overvalued By County
An Ohio chicken farm was overvalued by the local tax board, the state board of tax appeals said, after taking into consideration an appraisal by the owner that valued the property based on its special use as a hatchery.
Expert Analysis
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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Weisselberg's Perjury At Trial Spotlights Atty Ethics Issues
Former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg’s recent guilty plea for perjury in the New York attorney general's civil fraud trial should serve as a reminder to attorneys of their ethical duties when they know a client has lied or plans to lie in court, and the potential penalties for not fulfilling those obligations, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Why Supreme Court Should Allow Repatriation Tax To Stand
If the U.S. Supreme Court doesn't reject the taxpayers' misguided claims in Moore v. U.S. that the mandatory repatriation tax is unconstitutional, it could wreak havoc on our system of taxation and result in a catastrophic loss of revenue for the government, say Christina Mason and Theresa Balducci at Herrick Feinstein.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law
A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.
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Speaking Of Ideas Hard To Swallow: SALT In Review
From a Pennsylvania bill that would force corporate tax disclosure to a proposed candy tax in California, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
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Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
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Neb. Justices Should Weigh IRC Terms In Dividend Tax Case
Nebraska’s highest court, which will hear oral arguments in Precision CastParts v. Department of Revenue on April 1, should recognize that the Internal Revenue Code provides key clues to defining “dividends received or deemed to be received,” and therefore limits Nebraska’s tax on foreign-sourced corporate income, says Joseph Schmidt at Ryan.
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Strange But True, Here And There: SALT In Review
From a confusing proposal to relocate the Louisiana Tax Commission to a perplexing legislative vote on a citizen initiative in Washington state, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.