Like the days of the Old West, last week a masked gang held up local businesses demanding their wallets. Unlike the days of the Old West, this was not the hole-in-the-wall gang, but the California State Assembly who, on June
Inside SALT
In-Depth Coverage of Issues Surrounding State and Local Tax
Inside SALT, published by McDermott Will & Emery, focuses on state and local tax (SALT) developments, legislation, and enforcement trends. The blog covers topics such as tax policy changes, false claims acts related to tax enforcement, tax privacy and confidentiality issues, state tax litigation, and the impact of tax laws on businesses and financial institutions. It also addresses tax controversies, tax credits, surtaxes, and budgetary tax measures at the state level. The content includes analysis of legislative proposals, court rulings, and regulatory actions affecting state and local taxation, with an emphasis on practical implications for taxpayers and tax practitioners.
Blog Authors
Latest from Inside SALT
California Bill Would Make Taxpayer Information Available to the Public (Seriously!)
A concerning bill is pending in the California Senate. SB-972 would require the California State Controller’s Office (the Controller) to make taxpayer information publicly available. The bill would require that the Controller post on its website a list of all…
False Claims Never Die in California
Recently, AB 2570 has cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which authorizes tax-based false claims actions—allowing private, profit-motivated parties to bring punitive civil enforcement lawsuits. The bill is now on the Assembly floor for consideration and faces a June 19 house-of-origin…
Washington Surtax on “Big Banks” Struck Down as Unconstitutional
On May 8, Washington’s 1.2% surtax on “specified financial institutions” (banks with at least $1 billion a year in net revenue) was struck down by a King County Superior Court judge. Judge Marshall Ferguson ruled that the tax, which is…
Taxes, Like Temperatures, Going Up: California COVID-19 Budget “Revenue Solutions”
Yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom turned to a familiar gambit from California’s playbook to help tackle the budgetary hole wrought by COVID-19. In January, the Governor proposed his budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which projected a $5.6 billion surplus. Indeed,…
False Claims Bill Advances in California – Taxpayers Beware!
California’s bill to authorize tax-based false claims actions—allowing private, profit-motivated parties to bring punitive civil enforcement lawsuits—cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee on May 11 in a party-line vote. The bill, AB 2570, is sponsored by the committee’s chair, Assemblymember Mark…
Alert: California False Claims Expansion Bill Preparing to Advance
The revived False Claims expansion bill in California, A.B. 2570, is on the agenda to be heard by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on May 11 at 10:00 am PDT. The proposal would authorize tax-based false claims actions, allowing private,…
Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Providing Last Minute Property Tax Relief
On Tuesday we authored a blog post commending San Francisco County Assessor Carmen Chu for moving the deadline for businesses to file their Business Property Statements (Form 571-L) to June 1 of this year. We noted that California statutory authority…
Last Minute Relief for Filers of Business Property Statements
Once again, San Francisco has shown leadership in addressing property tax relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, May 4, 2020, the San Francisco County Assessor announced that she was moving the deadline for businesses to file their Business Property…
State Tax Incentives, Clawbacks and COVID-19
Through various state and local tax incentives, many businesses have committed to grow their employee count or make substantial capital expenditures. Not surprisingly, companies may fall short on delivering those objectives in the short run. Long-terms plans may also need…