State & Local

  • February 04, 2025

    Mellon Heir's Estate Defends $29M Tax Refund Request

    A Pittsburgh billionaire made a "bona fide" deal to indemnify the trustees for his Mellon family millions as he drained a family trust account, so a $200 million settlement to partly replenish the fund for his heirs should be deductible and produce a $29 million refund of his Pennsylvania estate taxes, the estate's lawyer told a state appellate court Tuesday.

  • February 04, 2025

    Pa. Governor Puts Cannabis Legalization In Budget Proposal

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday announced a plan to legalize recreational cannabis later this year as part of his budget proposal.

  • February 04, 2025

    Texas Revenue Collection Through Jan. Up 5% From Last Year

    Texas' net revenue collection from September through January was 5% higher than the same period last fiscal year, according to the state Comptroller's Office.

  • February 04, 2025

    Calif. Insurer Can't Get Tax Refund On In-State Shipments

    A California insurance company can't get a refund of sales taxes paid when it placed orders with three vendors located out of state that the vendors fulfilled with shipments from within the state, the California Office of Tax Appeals ruled.

  • February 04, 2025

    W.Va. Revenues Through Jan. Beat Forecast By $28M

    West Virginia's general revenue collection from July through January exceeded a budget forecast by $28 million, according to a report by the State Budget Office.

  • February 04, 2025

    NY Assembly Bill Seeks Tax Exemption For Radio Signal Gear

    New York would establish a property tax exemption for equipment used for the transmission or switching of radio signals to provide commercial mobile radio service or mobile internet access service under a bill introduced in the state Assembly.

  • February 04, 2025

    Colo. Senate OKs Sales Tax Audit Confidentiality Rules

    Taxpayer information held by third-party sales tax auditors in Colorado would be subject to enhanced confidentiality standards under legislation passed by the state Senate.

  • February 04, 2025

    Delaware's Revenue Surges $157M In 1st Half Of Fiscal Year

    Delaware's total receipts from July through December exceeded the same period in the last fiscal year by $157 million, according to the state Department of Finance.

  • February 04, 2025

    Md. House Bill Seeks End To Corporate Tax Credits

    Maryland would end several corporate tax credits and the state's opportunity zone program under legislation in the state House of Delegates.

  • February 04, 2025

    Wis. Senate Bill Would Exempt Gun Safes From Sales Tax

    Wisconsin would exempt safes that are used to store guns from sales and use tax as part of a bill introduced in the state Senate.

  • February 04, 2025

    Md. House Bill Would Allow Tax Credits For Local Newsrooms

    Maryland would allow state income tax credits for portions of earnings paid to newsroom employees by local news organizations under legislation introduced in the state House of Delegates.

  • February 04, 2025

    Ariz. Senate Bill Seeks Tax Subtraction For Capital Gains

    Arizona would allow a subtraction from state taxable income of a portion of capital gains under legislation introduced in the state Senate.

  • February 03, 2025

    Calif. Panel Affirms County's Sales Tax

    A half-cent sales tax approved by a simple majority of voters in a California county is a general tax, not a special tax, and thus not subject to requirements to be approved by two-thirds of the voters, a California appeals court panel ruled, upholding a trial court decision.

  • February 03, 2025

    Calif. OTA Denies Sales Tax Refund For Drug System Parts

    A biopharmaceutical company is not eligible for refunds of sales and use taxes for components of a diabetes drug delivery system that it developed but was never federally approved, the California Office of Tax Appeals said in a ruling released Monday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Texas Gov. Floats $10B Property Tax Relief Proposal

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged lawmakers to again overhaul the state's property tax regime, saying he would support legislation that would provide at least $10 billion in tax relief. 

  • February 03, 2025

    Ariz. Panel OKs Bill To Clarify Sales Tax Sourcing Location

    Arizona would clarify that the location of a transaction for sales tax purposes is the seller's business location if that seller receives the order in the state under legislation approved by a House panel Monday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Iowa Justices Decline To Hear Capital Gains Deduction Case

    The Iowa Supreme Court will not review an appellate court ruling that found two business partners were not eligible to claim a capital gains deduction for gains resulting from their individual sales of goodwill.

  • February 03, 2025

    Calif. Couple Can't Claim Biz Loss, OTA Says

    A California couple cannot claim a business loss deduction for the company they were partners in because they were calendar-year taxpayers and the loss occurred in the wrong year, the state Office of Tax Appeals said in a ruling released Monday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Ill. Bill Seeks Tax Break For Megaproject Building Materials

    Illinois would provide an exemption from any state or local use tax or retailers occupation tax for building materials incorporated into real estate at what are known as megaproject sites as part of a bill filed in the state House of Representatives.

  • February 03, 2025

    Ill. House Floats Income Tax Deduction Bill For Union Dues

    Illinois would create an income tax deduction for union dues for taxpayers who weren't allowed a deduction under federal law as part of a bill filed in the state House of Representatives.

  • February 03, 2025

    Calif. Couple's Stock Income Subject To State Tax, OTA Says

    A California couple is liable for tax and interest assessed on their exercising of nonqualified stock options and vesting of restricted stock units because the income was sourced to the state, the state Office of Tax Appeals said in a ruling released Monday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Ariz. Justices OK Energy Co.'s Depreciation In Tax Value Fight

    The depreciated value of a component of a power transmission company's facilities may be negative for purposes of calculating the property's tax value, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled, partly vacating an appeals court decision.

  • February 03, 2025

    Minn. Senate Bill Seeks Cuts To Corporate Income Tax Rate

    Minnesota would phase down its corporate franchise tax rate and its alternative minimum franchise tax rate over the next two years under a bill introduced in the state Senate on Monday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Iowa Couple Missed Chance For Solar Tax Credits, Judge Says

    An Iowa couple were properly denied solar energy tax credits because they failed to file their application for the credits on time, an administrative law judge ruled.

  • February 03, 2025

    RI House Bill Would Exempt Beer From Sales And Use Tax

    Rhode Island would exempt beer and malt liquors from the state's retail sales and use tax as part of a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

Expert Analysis

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    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.

  • Thinking Big And Soaking The Rich: SALT In Review

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    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.

  • Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout

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    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.

  • High Court Case Could Reshape Local Development Fees

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    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.

  • Nebraska Should Abandon Proposed Digital Ad Tax

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    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.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    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.

  • As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders

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    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.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    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.

  • The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    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.

  • Envy, Regressivity And Other Sins: SALT In Review

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    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.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    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.

  • 6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

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