SALT Blog - SALT Blawg

On June 12, 2017, The Honorable James Sensenbrenner (R. WI 5^th District) introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives a bill, designated H.R. 2887, which would codify the nexus standard set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298 (1992).

The bill is set against the backdrop of multiple recent attempts by the states to persuade the Supreme Court to take a case that would revisit and overturn Quill.  Quill held that the dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits a state (or local taxing authority) from imposing upon a retailer an ...

 By Paul Masters with contributions by Jennifer Weidler in Chamberlain’s Philadelphia office.

State Regulations and Public Notices

California Board of Equalization issues a proposal to amend the definition of “retailers engaged in business in this state,” in conformance with AB 155. It will take effect either September 15, 2012 or January 2013. The effect of this change would be to expand the requirement for retailers to register with the Board and remit California use taxes, or to be subject to payment of these use taxes on such failure to remit.

Utah State Tax ...

 By Paul Masters

State DOR Letters and Policy Rulings

Illinois Department of Revenue has issued several rulings, including:

* explains how prescription drugs are taxed, and the Service Occupation Use Tax on tangible personal property transferred incident to sales of service;

* explains taxation of software maintenance agreements and the Service Occupation Tax;

* rules that a chemical manufacturer's containers used to ship fluid products to customers are not subject to sales or use tax because (i) the customers sell the products in the containers and provide the manufacturer ...

State DOR Letters and Administrative Rulings

Illinois Office of Administrative Hearings respects the entity, and rules Department of Revenue cannot go after owner of corporation for use tax liability on vessel use in Illinois. Use tax is not a trust tax. It also rules that the foreign corporate owner of a vessel used in Illinois for 30 days/year has sufficient nexus to allow Illinois to impose use tax on value of vessel. Taxpayer allowed credit for tax paid outside the state. Correct tax base for assessment of use tax is the purchase price reduced by depreciation prior to first use in ...

State DOR Letters and Administrative Rulings

The Tennessee Department of Revenue rules that software configuration services are not subject to sales tax. The industrial equipment exemption does not apply as to sales tax in connection with the sale of compressed air with compressors on site. The assembly of leased equipment is subject to sales tax as services necessary to complete a sale.

In a shift, the Indiana Department of Revenue issues a statement that it will no longer impose sales tax on digital goods unless specific circumstances exist, citing the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax ...

State DOR Letters and Rulings

Florida ruled that when a cleaning service provider uses cleaning supplies to perform the cleaning services, sales and use tax is due on those supplies. However, to the extent those supplies are not used, but sold to a customer for their use, the transaction is exempt as a sale for resale.

The Texas Comptroller ruled that a series LLC would be treated as a single entity for Texas franchise tax purposes. The entity cannot be broken up into separate parts, but must file as one.

Alabama ruled that winter park provided amusement services subject to sales tax. The ...

Tax Foundation Report Opines Texas Margin Tax Not a Model Act

A recent Tax Foundation report concludes that the Texas margin tax - untried when enacted in 2006 - collected less revenue than expected, caused significant confusion and compliance costs, resulted in litigation and controversy, and should not be tried in other states.

Tennessee and New York Opine Electronic Goods Not Subject to Sales Tax

Tennessee provided a written opinion that paper shop drawings would be subject to sales tax, but not a digital (paperless) version of the same. New York authorities similarly concluded

 By Paul Masters

The long-contested constitutional issue concerning the New Jersey throw-out rule has finally culminated in a New Jersey Supreme Court decision recognizing the general constitutionality of the rule, but for its application to sales receipts attributable to states that choose not to impose an income tax. But first, we summarize what this decision did not do. The decision did not address in any significant way the current challenges to nexus that the states confront. Rather, the decision reaffirmed existing federal law, 15 U.S.C.A. §§ 381-84 (commonly referred to ...

This is the year of the Amazon. Multiple sources, including individual affiliates, are reporting that Amazon, Overstock and other Internet retailers are severing ties with their affiliates in Connecticut and Arkansas. Both of those states recently enacted changes to their sales tax laws that required Internet retailers to collect sales tax on transactions made with persons in those states. The states were able to “reach” the Internet retailers through an expanded nexus by means of the “associate” or “affiliate” programs commonly used by such vendors.

Meanwhile ...

Some two weeks ago, we commented on the passage of House Bill No. 2403, a stand-alone version of the Amazon law that would have clearly required Amazon and other Internet retailers subject to collecting Texas sales and use tax on sales of tangible personal property if there was a link to a physical presence in Texas. Amazon had such a link via its distribution center near Dallas. A bill introduced by Rep. Harper-Brown to protect Amazon from such a requirement to collectTexas sales and use tax was buried in the House Ways & Means Committee.

On May 31, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed this ...