The following were originally printed in the Weekly State Tax Report, part of the State Tax Library.

Weekly State Tax Report

Volume 2009 Number 46
Friday, November 13, 2009

Scalia, Other Justices, Skeptical of Patenting of Business Methods, Including Tax Strategies

Supreme Court justices, during oral arguments, expressed skepticism about the patentability of business processes—an issue with implications for tax practitioners due to the potential impact of the court's ruling on tax strategy patents. The patenting of tax strategies has recently come under heavy fire as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issues 82 tax strategy patents, including patents dealing with state taxes, even as lawmakers introduce legislation to ban the practice.

Oregon DOE Seeks to Curb State Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit

Oregon's Department of Energy has issued temporary rules in an attempt to limit the state's ballooning business energy tax credit program. The credit, now the second largest state income tax credit and costing an estimated $83 million annually, may see further restrictions as critics complain that the program is overly generous and subsidizes wind power much more than needed.

Delaware Sets Its Sights on Taxpayers Who Steered Clear of Amnesty Program

Delaware's highly successful two-month-long tax amnesty program has cleared some 14,000 delinquent accounts and netted more than $22 million, nearly twice what was originally estimated when the program was first authorized. According to high ranking officials, now that the program has ended, the state plans to aggressively go after unpaid taxes from those who did not come forward during the amnesty period.

Michigan Governor Orders Tax Functions Consolidated Into New State Commission

In an effort to achieve greater implementation of tax policy, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm will consolidate various government tax functions into a new State Tax Commission within the Treasury Department. The reorganization, one of many restructurings being undertaken as the state grapples with growing budget deficits, is expected to result in a more efficient system for handling property tax programs.

Perspective: Tax Planning in the New Era of Corporate Caution

State efforts to combat income-shifting by multistate corporations—as well as a new climate of caution on the part of corporate management—have effectively closed the window on many tax-motivated restructurings, according to John J. Cronin, author of Tax Management's new portfolio, Income Taxes: State Tax Minimization Strategies. In this article, BNA talks with Cronin about the various tax planning strategies that can stand up to state scrutiny in the current climate.

New BNA Portfolio Offers Tax Minimization Strategies for Struggling Companies

BNA Tax & Accounting is proud to announce the latest addition to its State Tax Library, Portfolio No. 1250, Income Taxes: State Tax Minimization Strategies. The portfolio, authored by John Cronin, a former leader of Deloitte LLP's Multistate Tax Practice, offers valuable insight and timely advice for companies experiencing flat or declining profits and looking to state tax minimization strategies to help preserve their bottom line.