State & Local
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June 26, 2025
NY Judge OKs Atty Fees In Dance Club's $2M Sales Tax Win
New York state's tax agency must pay attorney fees to a New York City dance club that prevailed in its challenge to a $2 million sales tax bill on its admission charges, a state administrative law judge said in a determination published Thursday.
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June 26, 2025
Mich. Senate OKs Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credits
Michigan would create a tax credit to promote the production of sustainable aviation fuel under two bills passed by the state Senate.
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June 26, 2025
Maine To Hike Sales Tax On Cannabis, Add Streaming To Base
Maine will raise its sales tax rate on adult-use cannabis and lower its excise tax rate on cannabis flower and add streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu to the sales tax base under budget legislation signed by the governor.
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June 25, 2025
Ohio Lawmakers OK Flat Income Tax, Paring Of Tax Breaks
Ohio would switch to a flat personal income tax system and repeal certain sales tax exemptions and its film tax credit program under a biennial budget plan the state General Assembly approved Wednesday.
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June 25, 2025
Rhode Island Gov. Criticizes Tax Hikes But Won't Veto Budget
Rhode Island's governor said Wednesday that he would neither sign nor veto a $14.3 billion budget passed by state lawmakers that he criticized for increasing taxes, setting up the plan to take effect next week without his approval.
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June 25, 2025
RI Allows Providence To Exceed Tax Levy Cap For Fiscal 2026
Providence, Rhode Island, may exceed the state's limit on property tax increases for the 2026 fiscal year under legislation signed by the governor.
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June 25, 2025
Texas Will Exempt Internet Access Services From Sales Tax
Internet access services will be exempt from Texas sales tax under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.Â
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June 25, 2025
Pa. Revenue Collection Through May Up $827M
Pennsylvania's general revenue collection from July through May beat last year's collection for the same period by $827 million, the state Department of Revenue reported.
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June 25, 2025
NYC Tax Disputes Languish Amid Tribunal's ALJ Shortage
A shortage of administrative law judges at the New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal has left many disputes in stasis while taxpayers wait for a backlog of cases to abate before their litigation can move forward.
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June 25, 2025
EisnerAmper Adds International Tax Pro To Minneapolis Office
EisnerAmper has expanded its international tax services group with a new partner who helps individual and corporate clients navigate legislation, regulatory risks and compliance obligations.
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June 25, 2025
Ore. Lawmakers OK Requiring Report On Property Taxes
The Oregon Legislature would issue a report on the state's property tax system and options to modernize it, including an analysis of two tax-limiting initiatives, under legislation approved by lawmakers.
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June 24, 2025
Medline Can't Get $2.4M Tax Incentive, Wash. Panel Affirms
Medline did not qualify for a $2.4 million remittance of sales tax paid toward the construction of a state warehouse, a Washington state appeals panel affirmed Tuesday, saying the medical supplier failed to show that it merited a key tax incentive.
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June 24, 2025
Texas Narrows Discovery Allowance In Property Tax Appeals
Texas district courts can't order discovery in property tax cases unless the discovery is requested by the appealing party under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.Â
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June 24, 2025
Colo. Justices Urged To Nix Co.'s Win On City's Telecom Tax
A pair of tax ordinances aimed at telecommunications providers in a Colorado city, including a T-Mobile subsidiary, were not consequential enough to require voter approval under the state's Taxpayer Bill of Rights, the city told the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday.
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June 24, 2025
Pa. Tax Ruling Boosts Nonprofits' Competitive Edge, Attys Say
A recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling clarifying that competitive executive compensation isn't a threat to the tax-exempt status for nonprofits has the added bonus of helping charities compete for and retain talent, attorneys tell ¼«ËÙÈü³µ.
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June 24, 2025
Ohio School Board Can't Appeal Property's Valuation
An Ohio commercial property improperly had its value raised to $27.8 million, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled, finding jurisdiction was lacking for a school board's appeal that resulted in the increase.
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June 24, 2025
Mass. Condo Value Won't Get Reduced, Board Says
The fair cash value of a Massachusetts condominium should not be lowered, the state Appellate Tax Board ruled, finding the owner failed to prove the property had decreased in value since she purchased it two months before.
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June 24, 2025
Texas To Devote $51 Billion Toward Property Tax Relief
Texas will earmark $51 billion toward property tax relief under its $338 billion biennial spending plan that was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
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June 24, 2025
Texas Extends Franchise Tax Break For R&D Costs Past 2026
Texas extended a franchise tax credit for qualifying research and development activities beyond 2026 under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
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June 24, 2025
Utah Revenue Through May Rises $773M
Utah's general revenue collection from July through May beat last year's total for that period by $773 million, according to a report by the state Tax Commission.
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June 24, 2025
Vt. General Revenues Through May Up $221M
Vermont's total general fund revenue collection from July through May outpaced last year during the same period by $221 million, the state Agency of Administration reported.
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June 23, 2025
NY Tribunal Blocks Brownfield Tax Credit For Offsite Costs
A brownfield developer can't claim New York's brownfield redevelopment tax credit on capitalized costs related to water main improvements serving the site, the state tax tribunal ruled in an opinion released Monday, overturning an administrative law judge's determination.
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June 23, 2025
Ky. Justices Quash T-Mobile's Service Fee Refund Request
A Kentucky trial court correctly ruled that T-Mobile wasn't entitled to a refund of 911 service charges it previously paid for its prepaid cellular customers, the state Supreme Court ruled.
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June 23, 2025
Takings Not Enough To Lower Lot Value, Mass. Board Says
A half-acre parking lot in Massachusetts was not overvalued by a local assessor despite temporary and permanent takings by the state highway department during road construction, the state Appellate Tax Board said in a decision released Monday.
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June 23, 2025
Mass. Home Was Overvalued, Tax Board Rules
A Massachusetts home should have its value lowered based on the home's purchase price and comparable sales in the area, the state Appellate Tax Board said in a ruling released Monday.
Expert Analysis
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Getting One Right: SALT In Review
From a New York taxpayer's victory on appeal to a proposed administrative change in Louisiana, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity
As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.
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Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw
When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.
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The Ins And Outs Of Consensual Judicial References
As parties consider the possibility of judicial reference to resolve complex disputes, it is critical to understand how the process works, why it's gaining traction, and why carefully crafted agreements make all the difference, say attorneys at Pillsbury.
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The BigLaw Settlements Are About Risk, Not Profit
The nine Am Law 100 firms that settled with the Trump administration likely did so because of the personal risk faced by equity partners in today's billion‑dollar national practices, enabled by an ethics rule primed for modernization, says Adam Forest at Scale.
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Power To The Paralegals: An Untapped Source For Biz Roles
Law firms looking to recruit legal business talent should consider turning to paralegals, who practice several key skills every day that prepare them to thrive in marketing and client development roles, says Vanessa Torres at Lowenstein Sandler.
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When Even A Judge Feels Defeated: SALT In Review
From a split decision in a New York state court to a Louisiana plan to funnel tax dollars to student-athletes, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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$38M Law Firm Settlement Highlights 'Unworthy Client' Perils
A recent settlement of claims against law firm Eckert Seamans for allegedly abetting a Ponzi scheme underscores the continuing threat of clients who seek to exploit their lawyers in perpetrating fraud, and the critical importance of preemptive measures to avoid these clients, say attorneys at Lockton Companies.
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Evolving Federal Rules Pose Further Obstacles To NY LLC Act
Following the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's recent changes to beneficial ownership information reporting under the federal Corporate Transparency Act — dramatically reducing the number of companies required to make disclosures — the utility of New York's LLC Transparency Act becomes less apparent, say attorneys at Pillsbury.
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The IRS Shouldn't Go To War Over Harvard's Tax Exemption
If the Internal Revenue Service revokes Harvard's tax-exempt status for violating established public policy — a position unsupported by currently available information — the precedent set by surviving the inevitable court challenge could undercut the autonomy and distinctiveness of the charitable sector, says Johnny Rex Buckles at Houston Law Center.
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An Illegitimate Avenue Of Repeal: SALT In Review
From a court upholding New York state's interpretation of a federal law to Arkansas' new tax break for college athletes, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Crisis Management Lessons From The Parenting Playbook
The parenting skills we use to help our kids through challenges — like rehearsing for stressful situations, modeling confidence and taking time to reset our emotions — can also teach us the fundamentals of leading clients through a corporate crisis, say Deborah Solmor at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Cara Peterman at Alston & Bird.
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Adapting To Private Practice: From NY Fed To BigLaw
While the move to private practice brings a learning curve, it also brings chances to learn new skills and grow your network, requiring a clear understanding of how your skills can complement and contribute to a firm's existing practice, and where you can add new value, says Meghann Donahue at Covington.