SeeSALT BlogPillsbury State & Local Tax special counsel Zachary Atkins explores the recent Delaware court decision of Verisign and the implications it has for taxpayers in Tax Notes State’s SeeSALT Digest.
Articles Posted in States
Maryland Becomes First U.S. State to Enact Controversial Digital Advertising Tax to Immediate Challenge
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On February 12, 2021, Maryland legislators voted to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) veto of H.B. 732, making Maryland the first state in the nation to impose a digital advertising tax. While Maryland’s enactment of the bill is a first, other states have impending digital advertising tax bills, such as New York, Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska, Washington, Montana and Massachusetts. Maryland’s digital advertising tax, which becomes effective March 14, 2021 (30 days after the Governor’s veto), has been preemptively challenged in U.S. District Court. Continue Reading ›
COST Central West Regional State Tax Webinar
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Pillsbury SALT attorneys Carley Roberts, Annie Huang and Robert Merten III will present at the COST Central West Regional State Tax Webinar on March 24.
TEI’s Wisconsin Chapter Meeting
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Pillsbury SALT attorneys Carley Roberts, Zachary Atkins, Nicole Boutros and Evan Hamme will present during Tax Executive Institute’s Wisconsin Chapter Meeting on February 18.
Continue Reading ›
Should San Francisco Taxpayers File Protective Claims for Recovery of the Homelessness Tax and the Commercial Rents Tax?
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In 2018, San Francisco voters approved, by simple majority vote, two new gross receipts taxes: the Homelessness Gross Receipts Tax (SF-HT) and the Commercial Rents Tax (SF-CRT), with both 
taxes effective as of January 1, 2019.[1] Because these taxes fund specific governmental services, they are designated as special taxes (specifically, the SF-HT funds homelessness services and the SF-CRT funds early childhood education). Since the California Constitution specifies that special taxes imposed by local government need two-thirds voter approval (i.e., a “supermajority”), taxpayer groups have filed lawsuits to invalidate these special taxes, as both were approved by only a majority vote (61% for the SF-HT and 51% for the SF-CRT).[2] As discussed more fully below, the courts have ruled against these taxpayer groups and the California Supreme Court to date has refused review.
The pressing question is whether San Francisco taxpayers, who paid the SF-HT and/or the SF‑CRT for 2019 and 2020, should be filing claims to protect their rights to refunds in the unlikely (but not impossible) event that these taxes are ultimately rendered invalid.
New York Law Raises Property Tax Issues for the U.S. Nuclear Industry
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Nuclear fuel storage facilities have been impacted by a change in New York law, which requires facilities located at permanently shut down nuclear power plants to be assessed as real property for ad valorem tax purposes, leading to potential larger, national impacts. SALT team members Zachary T. Atkins, Breann E. Robowski, and Craig A. Becker team up with Pillsbury’s Energy attorneys to discuss.
Transfer Tax and Distressed Real Estate: New York and California
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Real Estate markets in major cities have taken a hit given the events of the past year. In the latest Swimming Lessons Series presentation, SALT partner Craig Becker and Real Estate partner Andrew Weiner explore the intersection of transfer tax and enforcement in New York and California. Continue Reading ›
Delaware State Court Strikes Down NOL Limitation, Presenting Refund Opportunity
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A Delaware state court invalidated the Delaware Division of Revenue’s policy limiting net operating loss (NOL) deductions 
for members of federal consolidated groups, holding that the policy violated the Uniformity Clause of the state constitution. Verisign, Inc. v. Director of Revenue, No. N19C-08-093 JRJ (Del. Super. Ct. Dec. 17, 2020). The decision presents a potential refund opportunity for Delaware corporate taxpayers who were members of a federal consolidated group, and for Delaware corporate income tax purposes had their separate-company NOL deductions limited to the group’s consolidated NOL.
Pillsbury attorney Zack Atkins explains.
To read the full article, please click here.
2021 California CLE Marathon Webinars
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Pillsbury SALT partners Craig Becker and Breann Robowski will present during Pillsbury’s 2021 California CLE Marathons. This event features a wide variety of live webinars on timely topics. Craig and Breann will present “California Property, Transfer and Local Tax Updates” on Monday, January 25.
Continue Reading ›
Indiana Municipalities’ Franchise Fee Lawsuit Against Online Video Providers Remanded to State Court
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A federal district court held that under comity principles, Indiana state court is a more appropriate venue for a putative class action brought by three Indiana municipalities seeking to impose franchise fees on a group of online video providers. Order, City of Fishers v. Netflix, Inc. No. 1:20-cv-02351-JMS-MPB (S.D. Ind. Nov. 18, 2020). The federal district court remanded the case to the Marion Superior Court, where it was originally filed.