Two organizations, the Washington Bankers Association and American Bankers Association (collectively, the “Associations”), are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of Washington’s business and occupation surtax on large financial institutions. On January 28, 2022, the Associations filed a cert petition arguing that the surtax discriminates against interstate…
On September 30, 2021, the Washington Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s 1.2% Business & Occupation (“B&O”) surtax on large financial institutions. Wash. Bankers Ass’n v. State, No. 98760-2 (Wash. 2021). The surtax, which went into effect January 1, 2020, applies to every “specified financial institution,” which is…
The fate of Washington’s Business & Occupation (“B&O”) surtax on large financial institutions remains uncertain as the state’s highest court has not yet decided whether to grant direct review or transfer the state’s appeal to the Washington Court of Appeals. On July 13, 2020, the State of Washington filed a…
Earlier this month, a Washington state trial judge struck down the state’s recently enacted Business & Occupation Tax (“B&O) measure on large out-of-state financial institutions finding that although the tax measure was facially neutral, the purpose and effect of the tax was discriminatory against out-of-state banks. See Washington Banker’s Ass’n.…
A Washington state trial judge partially granted the state’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the validity of a recently enacted Washington tax measure that increases the state’s Business & Occupation Tax (B&O Tax) on large, out-of-state financial institutions. The Plaintiffs, the Washington Bankers Association and American Bankers Association (collectively,…
The Washington Court of Appeals held that Gartner, Inc.’s online research service was a digital automated service subject to the state’s retail sales tax and retailing Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax. Gartner, Inc. v. Washington Department of Revenue, No. 51637-3-II (Wash. App. Div. 2 Jan. 13, 2020). This decision addressed…
COST hosts its 50th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC October 22-25, 2019. Pillsbury SALT Partner Annie Huang is presenting during this exciting conference. This program offers sessions for every state tax and government affairs professional with tax responsibilities. The meeting presents an extensive program covering all types of…
(This article originally was published by Law360 on October 10, 2017.) States historically have had one major impediment to their ability to collect sales tax—the decision in Quill Corporation v. North Dakota to uphold a physical presence test standard for determining nexus.[1] Since the Quill decision, states have applied various…