State & Local
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July 31, 2024
Neb. Panel Considers Ending Income, Property Taxes
Nebraska would eliminate its income, corporate income and property taxes and fund the government with a consumption tax as part of a bill debated Wednesday.
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July 31, 2024
Minn. Tax Court Agrees Parking Lot's Value Is $4M, Not $10M
A Minneapolis parking lot would be best valued as a buy-and-hold investment property and thus its assessed value should be lowered from $10.3 million to $3.9 million, the Minnesota Tax Court said.
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July 31, 2024
Minn. Shopping Center's $97M Value Upheld By State Justices
A Minnesota shopping center was correctly valued for tax purposes at nearly $97 million, the state Supreme Court said Wednesday, rejecting the property owner's argument that the valuation should consider a calculation of effective rent instead of market rent.
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July 31, 2024
Ex-Chicago Alderman Should Serve Full Supervision, Feds Say
A former Chicago alderman and attorney convicted of tax crimes should not be allowed an early reprieve from his court-ordered supervision because it has become his main form of punishment following his compassionate release from prison, the government has told an Illinois federal court.
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July 31, 2024
Ohio Tax Board Says Two McDonald's Properties Overvalued
Two Ohio McDonald's restaurants were overvalued by the Lorain County Board of Revision, the state tax appeals board ruled, agreeing with the company's appraisal taking into consideration comparable properties.
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July 30, 2024
States Fail To Advance MTC Project On Trucking Receipts Reg
A Multistate Tax Commission project on creating a model regulation that would allow states to source trucking receipts based on where deliveries occur appears to be shelved after a commission panel narrowly failed Tuesday to approve a motion seeking to further explore the subject.
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July 30, 2024
Ex-HFZ Capital Chief Can't Reduce Bail In $86M Fraud Case
A Manhattan judge on Tuesday denied, for now, a request by the former head of troubled real estate firm HFZ Capital Group to lower a hefty bail requirement so he can get out of Rikers Island while fighting $86 million theft and tax fraud charges.
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July 30, 2024
Legalization Foes Mount New Challenge To NY Pot Program
A group of anti-cannabis activists renewed their challenge to New York's proposal to use public funds to help marijuana retailers launch their businesses, alleging in a new state court lawsuit that the policy violates federal law.
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July 30, 2024
Mo. Hits Revenue Triggers For Continued Income Tax Cuts
Missouri has hit the needed revenue markers for additional tax cuts to be triggered that were passed under bills in 2022, the governor announced Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
SC County's $5.4B Sales Tax Ballot Measure Called Misleading
Language in a South Carolina county's upcoming transportation sales tax ballot measure projected to raise $5.4 billion and in its enacting ordinance unlawfully mislead voters, environmental groups charge in a suit filed Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Ohio Bill Would Create Credit For Property Tax, Rent
Ohio would allow homeowners and renters to claim a refundable property tax credit or rebate if their property tax or rent-equivalent tax exceeds 5% of their household income under a bill introduced in the House of Representatives.
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July 30, 2024
MTC Digital Work Group Examines Taxing Bundled Products
A Multistate Tax Commission work group aiming to harmonize state tax rules for digital products is completing a project on how to tax products that are sold in a bundle, with a goal of having a draft document by September, officials said Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Neb. Gov. Defends Property Tax Plan At Committee Hearing
Nebraska's governor testified Tuesday that his plan to fund lower property taxes by broadening the sales tax base and upping some consumption taxes works out to a tax cut, despite objections from tax groups who claim the plan would harm residents and businesses.
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July 30, 2024
Ropes & Gray Adds Partner To Int'l Tax Practice
Ropes & Gray LLP recently added a tax adviser with a wealth of experience navigating transactions, funds and investments for clients as a partner in its New York office, the firm said.
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July 30, 2024
Local Leaders Ask Senate To Extend New Markets Credit
Congress should consider making the new markets tax credit permanent and extending opportunity zones as a way to help local governments, local leaders told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Husch Blackwell Hires UB Greensfelder Partner In St. Louis
Several years after Husch Blackwell LLP's newest partner, Garrett Reuter Jr., graduated from law school, he joined Greensfelder Hemker & Gale PC to work alongside his late father. Now, he's bringing clients he grew up watching his father work with, to a new platform.
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July 30, 2024
Pa. Joining IRS' Free E-File Program In 2025
The IRS will make its Direct File free online tax filing program available to Pennsylvania taxpayers for the 2025 filing season, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday, making it the third state to join the program after a dozen states participated in a pilot version this year.
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July 30, 2024
NM Extends Filing Deadlines For Wildfire Affected Areas
New Mexico taxpayers affected by the South Fork and Salt wildfires will have until Nov. 1 to file taxes, matching the federal extension by the Internal Revenue Service, according to the state Taxation and Revenue Department.
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July 30, 2024
Ore. Retiree Denied Tax Subtraction For Mass. Annuity
An Oregon retiree may not subtract payouts from a Massachusetts teachers retirement annuity from her state taxable income because payments from that plan are not among those eligible for the subtraction under state law, the Oregon Tax Court said.
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July 29, 2024
Utah Biz Groups Latest To Challenge Corp. Disclosure Law
Several small-business associations in Utah became the latest group to challenge the Corporate Transparency Act's disclosure requirements, telling a federal court Monday the statute violates several constitutional provisions, including the guarantee of due process.
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July 29, 2024
Atty Pitches Prospective Sales Tax Audit Program To MTC
A tax practitioner asked the Multistate Tax Commission's audit committee Monday to develop a prospective sales tax audit initiative that would permit large retailers to work with the MTC staff to ensure they are meeting their sales tax collection obligations in real time.
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July 29, 2024
Immigrants Paid $96.7B In Taxes In 2022, ITEP Study Says
Unauthorized immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 but received few benefits in return, according to a new study released Monday, whose authors said granting such taxpayers work authorization would boost tax revenue and economic activity.
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July 29, 2024
Mississippi Joins MTC Corp. Income Tax Audit Program
Mississippi has joined the Multistate Tax Commission's joint audit program, the chair of the MTC's audit committee said Monday, making it the 30th state to sign onto the initiative.
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July 29, 2024
Mo. Menards Store Ruled Properly Valued At $17M
A Missouri Menards home improvement store was properly valued at $17 million by a county assessor because the store's appraiser failed to use comparable properties in his valuation, the state Tax Commission affirmed.
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July 29, 2024
Wayfair To Pay Colo. City Under 10% Of Disputed Sales Tax
Wayfair will pay less than 10% of the disputed funds in a lawsuit settled last month with a Colorado city over sales tax assessments on remote sales, counsel for the home furnishings retailer said.
Expert Analysis
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A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise
After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.
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How 3 New Laws Change Calif. Nonprofits' Legal Landscape
Legislation that went into effect on Jan. 1 should be welcomed by California’s nonprofit organizations, which may now receive funding more quickly, rectify past noncompliance more easily and have greater access to the states’ security funding program, say Casey Williams and Brett Overby at Liebert Cassidy.
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SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap
As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.
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Thinking Big And Soaking The Rich: SALT In Review
From a bold and broad tax plan in Louisiana to proposed legislation targeting the well-to-do in Rhode Island and Michigan, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout
While attorney burnout remains a perennial issue in the legal profession, shifting post-pandemic expectations mean that law firms must adapt their office cultures to retain talent, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
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High Court Case Could Reshape Local Development Fees
If last month's oral arguments are any indication of how the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, it's unlikely the justices will hold that the essential nexus and rough proportionality tests under the cases of Nollan, Dolan and Koontz apply to legislative exactions, but a sweeping decision would still be the natural progression in the line of cases giving property owners takings claims, says Phillip Babich at Reed Smith.
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Nebraska Should Abandon Proposed Digital Ad Tax
If passed, Nebraska’s recently proposed Advertising Services Tax Act, which would finance property tax relief by imposing a 7.5% gross revenue tax on advertising services, would cause a politically risky shift of tax burdens from landowners to local businesses and consumers, and would most certainly face litigation, say attorneys at McDermott.
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The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift
As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.
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As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders
The IRS is fulfilling its promise to crack down on those who have neglected to pay taxes on cryptocurrency earnings, as demonstrated by recently imposed prison sentences, enforcement initiatives and meetings with international counterparts — suggesting a few key takeaways for taxpayer compliance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
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5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money
As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.
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The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.
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Envy, Regressivity And Other Sins: SALT In Review
From a California official's remarks on a star athlete's contract to another study documenting the regressivity of tax policies across the land, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success
Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.