Ascension Parish Sales & Use Tax Authority v. Louisiana Machinery Rentals, Inc.

92 So. 3d 404, 2011 La.App. 1 Cir. 1784, 2012 WL 1066229, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 428
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided March 30, 2012·No. No. 2011 CA 1784·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

GAIDRY, J.

|20n October 25, 2010, the Ascension Parish Sales and Use Tax Authority (“the Authority”) filed a “Petition for Rule to Show Cause in Summary Sales and Use Tax Proceeding” against Louisiana Machinery Rentals, L.L.C. (“LMR”). The petition states that it is a summary proceeding brought under the provisions of La. R.S. 47:337.33,1 La. R.S. 1,47:337.61,2 and comparable sections of the sales and use [407] tax ordinances of Ascension Parish. The Authority alleged that LMR was a Louisiana limited liability company, domiciled in St. John the Baptist Parish, who conducted business activities in Ascension Parish but failed to register with the Authority as a dealer for Ascension Parish sales and use tax purposes and who operated as a division forming a part of Louisiana’s sole statewide Caterpillar franchise dealer, selling at retail, leasing, and repairing various new and used Caterpillar equipment and parts in Ascension Parish. In the course of LMR’s Caterpillar sales, the Authority alleged that LMR made taxable sales of, repairs to, or leases of various articles of tangible personal property, such as articulated trucks, backhoe loaders, concrete equipment, compactors, engines/power systems, excavators, forest products, generators, |4mining equipment, motor graders, off-highway trucks, paving products, scrapers, skid steer loaders/multi terrain compact loaders, telehandlers, crawlers, dozers, wheel dozers, wheel loaders, and work tools. The Authority further alleged that it is the single sales and use tax collector for all local taxing authorities located in Ascension Parish and is authorized by statute and ordinance to audit LMR’s “books, records, papers, vouchers, accounts, and documents for Ascension Parish sales and use tax compliance with regard to any and all taxable sales, uses, storage, distribution, repairs and/or leases of tangible personal property occurring within Ascension Parish.” Pursuant to these statutes and ordinances, the Authority contracted with a private auditing firm, Broussard Partners & Associates (“BPA”), to conduct a sales and use tax compliance audit of LMR. The audit was held open several times by “prescription waiver” agreements between LMR and the Authority, in order to suspend the running of prescription as to any taxes that may be found to be due. BPA’s audit revealed that LMR had incorrectly failed to charge and collect sales taxes from its customers in Ascension Parish. on its taxable sales, repairs, or leases. Citing La. R.S. 47:337.17(E), the Authority claimed LMR was liable to it for the taxes it had failed to charge, collect, and remit, along with penalties and interest.

The original audit showed a sales and use tax deficiency of $40,305.90. On November 20, 2009, the Authority issued to LMR a “30-Day Notice of Intent to Assess Additional Tax Due-LA R.S. 47:337.48 B” for this deficiency, along with a penalty of $10,076.63 and interest of $27,169.26, for a total due of $77,551.79. This notice stated that LMR had thirty days from the date of the notice to either: (1) pay the amount assessed; or (2) file a written protest citing the objection to the assessment and request a hearing with the Authority. The notice further warned that a failure to | .^respond to the notice within the time or manner provided would result in the issuance of a formal assessment with additional penalties and interest. The Authority alleged that LMR failed to respond to this November 20, 2009 notice within the allotted time in any of the manners prescribed by law. Consequently, on December 31, 2009, the Authority issued to LMR, via certified mail, a formal “Notice of Assessment 60-Day Assessment — LA R.S. 47:337.51” in the total amount of $78,559.43.3 The December 31, 2009 notice [408] stated that if LMR wished to protest, it had thirty calendar days to file a written protest under oath and request a hearing. The notice went on to state that if LMR did not timely file a written protest and request a hearing, it had sixty calendar days to either: (1) pay the amount assessed; (2) pay the amount assessed “under protest” and file suit for recovery within thirty days of the payment; or (3) file suit in any state court of competent jurisdiction contesting the assessment within thirty days of receipt of the notice and post a bond or other security. The notice also stated: “DO NOT DISREGARD THIS NOTICE, FAILURE TO ACT WITHIN THE TIME OR MANNER PROVIDED WILL RESULT IN THE ASSESSMENT BECOMING FINAL AND ENFORCEABLE BY WARRANT FOR DISTRAINT. ADDITIONAL PENALTIES, INTEREST AND COLLECTION FEES MAY BE ASSESSED AT THAT TIME.” Rather than taking any of the steps provided in the December 31, 2009 notice, LMR submitted additional documents, records, and papers to the private auditor, BPA. After considering those additional documents, the Authority increased LMR’s tax deficiency and issued, via certified mail, a “ * * *Revised* * *NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT 60-Day Assessment — LA R.S. 47:337.51.” The revised notice, dated April 30, 2010, adjusted the total assessment amount to |fi$184,457.37 and contained the same notices and warnings regarding payment, protest, time delays, and consequences of the failure to act as the December 31, 2009 notice. The Authority alleged that LMR did not respond to the April 30, 2010 notice within the time allotted in any manner whatsoever. Accordingly, the Authority filed its petition, alleging that the Revised Assessment, including additional accrued interest, had become final and was the equivalent of a judgment against LMR pursuant to La. R.S. 47:337.68. With additional accrued interest, the total tax, penalty, and interest assessment through October 31, 2010 was $190,783.98, which, with interest continuing to accrue until paid, the Authority sought to make executory by a declaratory judgment of the district court.

The Authority further sought an injunction against LMR, pursuant to La. R.S. 47:337.33, enjoining LMR from the further pursuit of business in Ascension Parish until payment in full of all amounts due. It also sought recognition of its lien and privilege on all property owned by LMR, pursuant to La. R.S. 47:337.65, to secure payment of the amounts due. Because the Authority had employed counsel to assist in the collection of the taxes, penalties, and interest assessed against LMR, it sought attorney fees in the amount of ten percent of the aggregate amount due, or such lesser or greater amount found reasonable and fixed by the court, plus interest on that amount from the date of judgment until paid. It also sought payment of audit fees incurred with BPA in the amount of $17,125.39, pursuant to La. R.S. 47:337.75 and 47:337.26. The Authority attached to its petition the affidavit of Kressynda “Kressy” Krennerich, Assistant Administrator for the Authority, which states that the facts as alleged in the petition were true and correct to the best of her knowledge and belief, thereby establishing a print a_]/acie case in favor of the Authority and shifting the burden of proof to LMR to establish anything to the contrary, in accordance with La. R.S. 47:337.61.

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Ascension Parish Sales & Use Tax Authority v. Louisiana Machinery Rentals, Inc., 92 So. 3d 404, 2011 La.App. 1 Cir. 1784, 2012 WL 1066229, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 428 (La. Ct. App. 2012).

92 So. 3d 404 (Ascension Parish Sales & Use Tax Authority v. Louisiana Machinery Rentals, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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