Bercier v. Kiga

103 P.3d 232
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided December 21, 2004·No. 31052-0-II·Published·Cited by 48 cases

Opinion

103 P.3d 232 (2004)

Alex J. BERCIER, Appellant,
v.
Fred KIGA, Director, Department of Revenue, State of Washington, Gary Gilbert, Chief of Enforcement and Education, Washington State Liquor Control Board, the Washington State Department of Revenue, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, and the State of Washington, Respondent.

No. 31052-0-II.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 2.

December 21, 2004.

*234 David M. Hankins, Attorney Generals Office/Revenue Div, Heidi A. Irvin, Attorney Generals Office/Revenue Div, Olympia, WA, for Respondent.

Robert Eugene Kovacevich, Kovacevich Law Office, Spokane, WA, for Appellant.

HUNT, J.

Alex Bercier appeals the trial court's dismissal of his declaratory judgment action. He argues he should be exempt from all Washington excise taxes and regulations because, as a member of the Fort Peck Indian Tribe who resides and sells tobacco products on the Puyallup Indian reservation, he is an Indian doing business on Indian trust land, entitled to exemptions under RCW 82.24.260, 82.24.900, and 82.26.040. Holding that Bercier is not entitled to a tax exemption because he is not enrolled in the Puyallup Tribe on whose land he is doing business, we affirm.

FACTS

Alex Bercier is an American Indian, enrolled in the Fort Peck Indian Tribe in Montana.[1] He sells tobacco products at a smokeshop on the Puyallup Tribe reservation, where he is not a tribal member.[2]

In Thurston Count Superior Court, Bercier filed a "COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY JUDGMENT AND INJUNCTION PROHIBITING STATE TAXATION OF AMERICAN INDIANS DOING BUSINESS ON PUYALLUP RESERVATION; FOR RELIEF FROM REGISTRATION AND TAXATION BY THE STATE; TO INVALIDATE WAC 458-20-192 AND FOR CIVIL RIGHTS DAMAGES." Clerk's Papers (CP) at 5-26. He alleged that because he is an Indian licensed to do business on an Indian reservation, he should be exempt from Washington State excise taxes and related regulations. He also sought to enjoin the Puyallup Tribe from entering into an agreement with the State of Washington that could result in taxing his sales on the reservation.

Bercier further claimed that the State is discriminating against Indian smokeshops by granting a more favorable tax status to military concession cigarette sales, which are not subject to the state tax. Finally, Bercier's complaint appeared to assert three state-law claims for damages (violation of RCW 49.60, invasion of privacy, and damage to personal property) and possibly a federal-law claim for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

The State[3] moved to dismiss Bercier's action for lack of jurisdiction and for a CR 12(b)(6) failure to state a claim for which relief could be granted. In response, Bercier filed a first amended complaint and memorandum in opposition, indicating that he was dropping his claims for damages and his claim against Gary Gilbert related to Gilbert's official capacity only. Bercier also filed a motion to compel discovery from the State.

The trial court granted the State's CR 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss the majority of Bercier's claims, but it declined to dismiss one claim — that the State was violating a 1981 declaratory judgment exempting certain tribes from the requirement that they keep other tobacco product ("OTP") tax records. The trial court denied Bercier's motion to compel discovery. Later, on the State's motion *235 for reconsideration, the trial court dismissed Bercier's remaining claim, resulting in dismissal of Bercier's complaint in its entirety. Thereafter, it denied Bercier's motion for reconsideration.

Bercier appeals.

ANALYSIS

We review dismissal of a claim under CR 12(b)(6) de novo. Reid v. Pierce County, 136 Wash.2d 195, 200-01, 961 P.2d 333 (1998). In reviewing a dismissal for failure to state a claim, we accept as true allegations in plaintiff's complaint and any reasonable inferences therefrom. Reid, 136 Wash.2d at 201, 961 P.2d 333. Dismissal is appropriate only if the complaint alleges no facts that would justify recovery. Reid, 136 Wash.2d at 200-01, 961 P.2d 333.

This case presents the following issues.

I. Do the statutory and regulatory frameworks and relevant caselaw for State taxation of tobacco products allow the State to tax nonmember Indians like Bercier?

II. If the answer to the first question is yes, does a consensual business relationship between a nonmember Indian and the tribe insulate the nonmember from State taxation?

III. Can a nonmember Indian preclude a compact between another tribe and the State, based on the presence of a justiciable controversy, an issue of major public concern, and/or standing to bring this action?

We address each issue in turn.

I. TAXATION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS

Bercier's central argument is that he is entitled to exemption from Washington State's tobacco taxes because he is an Indian and he operates a smokeshop on Indian land. The relevant law, however, provides such tax exemption only for Indians who are members of the tribe on whose land they are operating. Bercier is enrolled in the Fort Peck Tribe and he is doing business on Puyallup tribal land. Therefore, he does not qualify for the State tobacco tax exemption.

A. Statutes and Administrative Code

Construction of a statute is a question of law, which we review de novo under the error of law standard.[4] Review begins with the plain language of the statute.[5] If a statute is unambiguous, we determine legislative intent from the language of the statute alone.[6] Similarly, if a regulation is clear and unambiguous, we apply its plain language.[7] Generally, however, we give "substantial weight... to the agency's view of the law if it falls within the agency's expertise in that special field of law."[8]

1. Cigarette and Tobacco Taxes

The State of Washington imposes an excise tax on cigarettes sold, used, consumed, handled, possessed, or distributed within Washington. RCW 82.24.020, 82.24.027(1), 82.24.028. The State collects this tax through cigarette stamps. RCW 82.24.030. The State requires wholesalers and certain retailers to keep detailed records of the purchase and sale of cigarettes. RCW 82.24.090.

The State of Washington also taxes the sale, use, consumption, handling, or distribution of all other tobacco products (OTP) by taxing the distributor. RCW 82.26.020, 82.26.030. As with the cigarette tax, OTP distributors must keep records of their activities. RCW 82.26.060-.070.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Bercier v. Kiga, 103 P.3d 232 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004).

103 P.3d 232 (Bercier v. Kiga) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Jason William Heinemann v. Thomas R. Coomes, M.D.
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2026
Bobby Kitcheon And Candance Ream, V. City Of Seattle
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2024
Atlas Debt Holdings, Llc, V. Seafood Express, Llc
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2024
In the Matter of the Estate of: Carol A. Dahlstrom
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2024
State of Washington v. Christian J.N. Robinson
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2024
State Of Washington, V. Endy Domingo-Cornelio
527 P.3d 1188 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2023)
Diane Rupert, V. Ellen Campion
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2023
State of Washington v. Darryl Warren Pond
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2022
Colleen M. Aldridge, V State L & I
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2022
John Kraskov, V. David Ostgaard
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2022
Michael J. Collins, V Department Of L & I
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2022
In the Matter of the Trust of: Lisa Dawn Lewis
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2021
David L. Snyder, et ux v. Lance Campbell, et ux
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2020
Brittany Fuller v. Edward L. Hart
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2020
U.s. Bank, N.a. v. Jason Hagen
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2019