State & Local
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March 11, 2025
Calif. Revenues Through February Up $4.3B From Forecast
California's revenue collection from July through February outpaced estimates by $4.3 billion, according to a report by the state Comptroller's Office.
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March 11, 2025
Minn. Panel Advances Flat Tax On Charitable Gambling
Minnesota would reduce its tax rate on receipts of lawful gambling conducted by charitable institutions to a flat 5% under legislation advanced Tuesday by a House Committee.
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March 11, 2025
Wis. Senate Prez Rejects Gov.'s Proposed High-Earner Tax
The president of the Wisconsin Senate rejected the governor's budget proposals, which include a new income tax bracket for high earners and a property tax freeze, saying Republicans would take the lead in crafting tax policy in this year's budget.
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March 11, 2025
Utah Lawmakers OK Min. Tax Rate Consensus Certification
Utah would require a minimum property tax rate imposed by school districts to be certified by the state's tax commission, the governor's Office of Planning and Budget and the state Legislature's Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst under a bill approved by state lawmakers and headed to the governor.
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March 11, 2025
Ore. House Panel OKs Boosting Film Fund Tax Credit
Oregon would boost the amount of tax credits available to those who donate to a state fund promoting the production of films and other media under legislation approved unanimously by a legislative panel.
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March 10, 2025
Cutting IRS Staff May Shift Audit Burden To States, Pros Say
A possible cut in half of the number of Internal Revenue Service employees, floated by President Donald Trump's administration, could profoundly affect state tax administration, particularly if states become more responsible for auditing federal taxable income, tax pros said Monday.
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March 10, 2025
Texas Committee Weighs Financial Transactions Tax Ban
Texas would have voters decide whether to prevent the state from taxing securities transactions under a joint resolution that would put the state on the road to becoming a global capital market, its sponsor told the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday.
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March 10, 2025
Ariz. Power Co. Asks Justices To Review Tax On Tribal Plant
An energy company asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review Arizona court decisions that said a power plant it owns on tribal land is subject to property taxes, arguing that privately owned improvements located on Native American reservations are exempt from state and local taxes.
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March 10, 2025
Utah Lawmakers OK Tax Break For Energy Facility Operators
Utah would provide a sales and use tax exemption for operators of facilities that manufacture energy storage devices or equipment under a bill passed by state lawmakers and headed to the governor.
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March 10, 2025
SC Court Should Reverse $7.7M Assessment, Mastercard Says
The South Carolina Appeals Court should rely on precedent when determining Mastercard's income-producing activity in the state and reverse an administrative law judge's determination upholding a $7.7 million corporate income tax assessment, the company told the court.
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March 10, 2025
Colo. Proposal Seeks Taxpayer Votes On New State Fees
Colorado voters could decide whether to require future votes to approve new state fees and other charges to fund major state enterprises under a pair of proposed initiatives with titles approved by a state board.
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March 10, 2025
Tax Pro Rejoins Norton Rose From Reed Smith In Houston
Norton Rose Fulbright announced Monday that it has bulked up in the face of increased demand in the corporate transactions space with the return of a tax partner in Houston who came aboard from Reed Smith LLP.
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March 10, 2025
Colo. House OKs County Lodging Tax Rate Increases
Colorado would increase the maximum lodging tax rate counties could impose under legislation approved Monday by the state House of Representatives.
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March 10, 2025
Colo. Court Affirms Property Tax Valuation For Partial Build
A partly built commercial building in Colorado was properly valued by a county board of equalization, as the state doesn't have an exemption for partial builds, a state appeals court ruled.
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March 10, 2025
Idaho Cuts Flat Income Tax Rate For Individuals, Corporations
Idaho lowered its flat income tax rate for individuals and corporations under a bill signed by the governor.
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March 10, 2025
Colo. Senate Panel OKs Suspending Interim Tax Committees
Colorado will suspend activities of several 2025 interim committees, including two related to taxation, under legislation approved unanimously by a state Senate panel.
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March 07, 2025
Grand Rapids Moves Social Equity Fee Dispute To Fed. Court
The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is looking to push into federal court a state lawsuit filed by cannabis companies looking to upend the fees, fines and residency requirements of the municipality's social equity program, arguing Friday that their claims all touch on federal issues.
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March 07, 2025
SD Lawmakers Request Study Of Tax Relief For Homeowners
South Dakota instructed its Legislative Research Council to review the state's property tax policies and identify ways to provide property tax relief to homeowners under a concurrent resolution approved by state lawmakers.
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March 07, 2025
Utah Court Affirms Walmart's Collective $52M Property Value
A trio of Utah-based Walmart retail properties were correctly assessed at a collective $52 million for property tax, a Utah appeals court said, finding that a lower court didn't make any errors when valuing the three properties.
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March 07, 2025
FTA Eyes Key Guidelines For Tax Agencies On AI Use
A white paper on generative artificial intelligence that the Federation of Tax Administrators is slated to release this year could provide state and local tax agencies with key guidelines on how to approach incorporating the tools into their tax administration practices.
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March 07, 2025
Ohio Auditor Unlawfully Filed Complaint Over District's Value
An Ohio county auditor unlawfully filed a complaint to change the assessed value of properties owned by a water conservancy district, and the county's board of revision didn't have the jurisdiction to rule, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled.
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March 07, 2025
Kan. House Approves Limits On Property Tax
Kansas would limit the taxable valuation of real property and would create a property tax funding limit through protest petition under two measures passed in the House of Representatives on Friday.
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March 07, 2025
Md. Panel Wants More Info On Digital Ad Tax Appeal Bill
A proposal for an administrative appeals process for Maryland's digital advertising tax hit a delay Friday as a legislative panel asked how the measure would affect several ongoing court cases concerning the tax.
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March 07, 2025
Kansas Tax Collection Through Feb. Beat Estimates By $216M
Kansas' tax collection from July through February outpaced forecasts by $216 million, according to a report from the state's Division of the Budget.
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March 07, 2025
DC To Require Federal Returns From Wealthier Taxpayers
The District of Columbia will require individual and corporate taxpayers exceeding certain income thresholds to submit copies of their federal income tax returns along with their district returns, according to the district's Office of Tax and Revenue.
Expert Analysis
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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Going The Extra Miles: SALT In Review
From a dispute about the borders of Florida's airspace to proposals that would exempt tips from taxes, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.
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Maryland 'Rain Tax' Ruling May Offer Hope For Tax Credits
A Maryland state appellate court's recent decision in Ben Porto v. Montgomery County echoes earlier case law upholding controversial stormwater charges as a valid excise tax, but it also suggests that potential credits to reduce property owners' liability could get broader in scope, says Alyssa Domzal at Ballard Spahr.
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Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act
As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.
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How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market
Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.
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Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step
From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Shake-Ups For Courts In Different Fields: SALT In Review
From the end of Chevron deference in the courts to the planned sale of the NBA's reigning champion, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Kentucky Tax Talk: Appeals Court Revisits Leases' Tax Effects
With better facts and greater emphasis on the Kentucky Constitution, Walgreen Co. may succeed in its latest Kentucky Court of Appeals challenge to a tax assessor's method of valuing leaseholds on real property for purposes of determining ad valorem tax, say Mark Sommer and Elizabeth Ethington at Frost Brown Todd.
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Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism
As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.