On March 1, 2023, a Florida trial court confirmed that costs of performance (COP) sourcing, not market-based sourcing, is Florida’s standard methodology for sourcing service receipts for apportionment purposes. In Billmatrix Corp. v. State of Florida, Department of Revenue, No. 2020-CA-000435 (Fla. 2d Cir. Ct. Mar. 1, 2023), the court strongly rebuked the Florida Department of Revenue for attempting to apply market-based sourcing in contravention of its own COP sourcing regulation. Continue Reading ›
Articles Posted in States
California Lawmakers Propose Constitutional Amendment to Abolish the State Board of Equalization
California Democratic lawmakers recently introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11 (ACA 11) which proposes to abolish the State Board of Equalization (BOE) and reassign its responsibilities to other state tax agencies effective January 1, 2026. Continue Reading ›
Property Tax Rate Dispute Merits California Supreme Court Review
For years, some California counties have been imposing disproportionately higher property tax rates on centrally assessed property despite the state constitutional mandate that this property be assessed like locally assessed property.
In a challenge brought by centrally assessed utilities, the California Court of Appeal conceded that the higher property tax rates disproportionally burden utility company property but concluded that this disparity does not violate the California Constitution.
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UPDATE: California Adds New Counties, Further Extends Deadlines to File and Pay Taxes for Businesses and Individuals Affected by Severe Winter Storms
In addition to the tax relief announced in January, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has automatically extended the income tax filing and payment deadlines for businesses and individuals affected by severe winter storms in California until October 16, 2023.
Texas Comptroller Takes a Serious Look at Sourcing Regulation After SiriusXM Loss
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has proposed significant amendments to its service receipts sourcing regulation in the wake of the Texas Supreme Court’s decision in Sirius XM Radio, Inc. v. Hegar, 643 S.W.3d 402 (Tex. 2022). The proposed amendments would dispense with the Comptroller’s long-standing “receipts-producing, end-product act” test and align the underlying regulation with the SiriusXM decision.
California Extends Deadlines to File and Pay Taxes for Businesses and Individuals Affected by Severe Winter Storms
Following the IRS’s announcement of tax relief for 41 California counties* affected by severe winter storms, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) announced similar relief for state-level taxes and fees.
Maryland Digital Ad Tax Updates: Comptroller Seeks Stay of State Court Decision Striking Tax and Recently Dismissed Federal Challenge is Under Appeal
The saga continues over Maryland’s Digital Advertising Gross Revenues Tax (Digital Ad Tax), much to the chagrin of Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland, who is tasked with administering and enforcing the tax and has publicly issued concerns with the constitutionality of the tax.
Second Place Is Just the First Place Loser: Ohio Supreme Court Rejects State’s Sourcing of NASCAR Intangible Receipts to Ohio
In a much-anticipated decision concerning the situsing of receipts from intangibles for Ohio commercial activity tax (CAT) purposes, the Ohio Supreme Court rejected the Ohio Department of Taxation’s attempt to situs NASCAR Holdings, Inc.’s broadcast revenue, media revenue, licensing fees, and sponsorship fees to Ohio. The court’s opinion in NASCAR Holdings, Inc. v. McClain, Slip Op. No. 2022-Ohio-4131 (Nov. 22, 2022), confirms that under Ohio law receipts based on the right to use intellectual property may be sitused to Ohio only if the receipts, i.e., the underlying payments, are tied to a specific right to use the property in Ohio. Continue Reading ›
Texas Court of Appeals Confirms Cost-of-Performance Method Is Proper to Source Service Receipts
The Texas Court of Appeals agreed with Sirius XM Radio Inc.’s (Sirius XM) cost-of-performance (COP) method to determine the fair value of Sirius XM’s services performed in Texas. Continue Reading ›
Three Strikes, You’re Out! New York Has Another Miss in Sales Tax Case Against a Service Provider Under the “Primary Function” Test
An administrative law judge (ALJ) in the New York State Division of Tax Appeals cancelled the New York State Division of Taxation’s notice of determination asserting sales tax on petitioner’s verification services. The October 6, 2022 determination in Matter of Employment Screening Services, LLC, confirms that petitioner’s services are properly characterized as nontaxable information services because this verification report is tailored and customized based upon the specific applicant.