Cheney v. Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation

371 S.W.2d 843, 237 Ark. 161, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 509
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedNovember 4, 1963
Docket5-3090, 3091
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 371 S.W.2d 843 (Cheney v. Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cheney v. Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation, 371 S.W.2d 843, 237 Ark. 161, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 509 (Ark. 1963).

Opinion

Prank Holt, Associate Justice.

The main question presented in these consolidated cases is whether the use tax exemption provided by statute is applicable to the purchase of turbine generators which are being used by both appellees, Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation and International Paper Company, in their respective operations of manufacturing or producing paper products. Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation claims additional exemptions on its purchase of such items as anion resin, a sewer cleaning ball, miscellaneous conveyors, two small turbines, a towmotor and carrier, and recorder chart rolls. The appellant, the Commissioner of Revenues, levied an assessment in the sum of $30,935.84 against Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation based upon the tux-bine gexxerator plus the other exxumerated items. The use tax assessxnexxt levied agaixist Ixxterxxatioxxal Paper Coxxxpaxxy was upoix the txxrbixxe gexxerator oxxly ixx the amouxxt of $27,063.69, or three per cexxt (3%) of the recexxt pux-chase px-ice of $1,908,549.04. The pexxalties were waived. The assessxnexxt agaixxst the Ixiterxxatioxxal Paper Coxxxpaxxy was paid xxxxder protest axxd actioxx was brought agaixxst appellaxxt to recover this sum paid uxxder protest oxx the basis the tux-bixxe gexxerator is exempt from the use tax. Appellee, Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation, sought axx ixxjunctioxx to restraixx the Commissioxxer of Revenues from further proceedings to collect the tax assessed agaixxst it axxd sought a Declaratory Judgmexxt to establish that the above named itexxxs are primary facilities used directly ixx their maxxufacturixxg or processixxg operation axxd therefore, exempt pursuaxxt to Ax-k. Stat. Ami. § 84-3106 (Supp. 1961). This statute provides ixx pertiíxexxt pax-t as follows:

"84-3106. Exenxptioxxs.—There are hereby specifically exempted from the taxes levied ixx this Act [<$><$> 84-3101-84-3128]: * # *

Maxxufacturixxg or processixxg machinery, replacement parts, materials, and supplies used directly ixx the manufacturing or processixxg operation provided; such materials, machinery, supplies, axxd equipmexxt are xxot available within this State by reason of xxot being maxxufactured or produced within Arkansas; or are xxot available from ixxstate sellers’ or suppliers’ stocks in trade within this State. It is the intent of this subsection to exempt only such equipment, machinery, materials, or supplies that constitute the primary facility engaged in the direct production, processing or manufacturing of articles of commerce at industrial and processing plants in Arkansas and which are not available from the seller’s regularly maintained stock in this State.

The terms ‘manufacturing’ and ‘processing’ as used herein, refer to and include those operations commonly understood within their ordinary meaning and shall include mining, quarrying, refining, and the production of natural resources, cotton ginning, and rice drying. Hand tools, buildings, transportation equipment, expendable items, office machines and supplies, and all other materials which are incidental or useful in connection with the manufacturing or processing operations and not directly used in the primary production processing or manufacturing are not included or classified as exempt. ’ ’

The appellant controverted the claimed exemptions. The cases were consolidated for trial by agreement.

In the case of Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation, the Chancellor found that “the items on which the tax is sought are all directly used in the manufacturing or processing operation, within the meaning of the exemption. ” As to International Paper Company, the Court found “that the 20,000 K.W. steam turbine generator as employed in the Pine Bluff Mill of the plaintiff is a primary facility used directly in the processing and manufacturing operation of making wood, pulp and paper * * * that it is exempt from * * *” the use tax.

On appeal appellant relies for reversal upon four points which are aptly encompassed by appellant’s statement that:

“The question as to all of the above mentioned articles is whether or not such are directly used in manufacturing or processing within the meaning of the compensating tax exemption statute,- Ark. Stat., Sec. 84-3106 (D) (Pocket Supp.) * * *”

There appears to be no dispute about the fact that these items were unavailable for purchase in Arkansas.

The appellant does, however, strenuously dispute that the evidence presented by the appellee was sufficient to bring the questioned items within the purview of the statue. We agree with appellant that the burden is on appellees to clearly show they are entitled to the exemption from the use tax. There is no implied exemption from a tax and a claimant must clearly establish an exemption, since taxation is the rale and exemption the exception. Biscoe v. Coulter, 18 Ark. 423; Scurlock v. Henderson, 223 Ark. 727, 268 S. W. 2d 619. With this rule of law in mind, we now proceed to review the pertinent facts as adduced by the testimony in the cases at bar.

In the Georgia-Pacific Paper Corporation plant the logs are debarked in a “barking drum.” The debarked logs are moved to a knife clipping machine where they are cut into small chips. The wood chips are placed in a silo for storage. They are withdrawn as needed and loaded into “digesters” where a cooking liquor compound is mixed with the chips. The “digester” is closed and then steam pressure at 160 pounds is admitted from the turbine generator. The chips are cooked for three hours at 100 pounds pressure. This dissolves the bonding material that holds the cellulose together in the wood. "When the cooking is complete, then the cellulose fibers known as pulp remain. The pulp is then further washed and screened in the assembly line process. The wood fiber or pulp, in a suspension of water, is delivered to the paper making machines. These machines have continuous fine mesh bronze wire which holds the cellulose on the wire while permitting the water to drain through this mesh. The fibers form a mat on top of this mesh screen. It is pressed to further remove moisture and then goes into and around a series of heated cylindrical driers. These driers operate under 40 to 60 pounds of steam pressure received from the turbine generator. The purpose is to further dry the product, the mat of fibers, into a finished sheet of unbleached paper such as paper for newsprint and telephone directories. A further process is required to produce bleached pulp from which is made a heavier, stronger product such as milk cartons and drinking cups.

There are several boilers which utilize as fuel the waste material such as the bark, the chipper residue and the concentrated spent cooking liquor from the “digesters.” This fuel is used to generate steam in the boilers at 850 pounds pressure. The steam is then funneled to the turbine at this high pressure. As the steam passes through the turbine, turning parts of it, the energy is gradually spent or the steam pressure reduced. At the reduced level of 160 pounds pressure some of the steam is extracted and supplied to the ‘ ‘ digesters ’ ’ for the cooking of the pulp. The balance of the steam continues on through the turbine until the pressure level is further reduced to 60 pounds.

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

Related

Pledger v. Baldor International, Inc.
827 S.W.2d 646 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1992)
Opinion No.
Arkansas Attorney General Reports, 1989
Ragland v. Deltic Farm & Timber Co.
708 S.W.2d 90 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1986)
Bishop v. LINKWAY STORES, INC.
655 S.W.2d 426 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1983)
Southern Steel & Wire Co. v. Wooten
631 S.W.2d 835 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1982)
Floyd Charcoal Co. v. Director of Revenue
599 S.W.2d 173 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1980)
Webster Brick Co. v. Department of Taxation
245 S.E.2d 252 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1978)
Arkansas Beverage Company v. Heath
521 S.W.2d 835 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1975)
Arkansas Railway Equipment Co. v. Heath
519 S.W.2d 45 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1975)
Indiana Dept. of St. Rev., Sales Tax Div. v. RCA Corp.
310 N.E.2d 96 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1974)
Heath v. Midco Equipment Co.
505 S.W.2d 739 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1974)
Schenley Distillers, Inc. v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Luckett
467 S.W.2d 598 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1971)
Hanford Produce Co. v. Clemmons
412 S.W.2d 828 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1967)
Gibbons v. Bradley
394 S.W.2d 489 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
371 S.W.2d 843, 237 Ark. 161, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 509, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cheney-v-georgia-pacific-paper-corporation-ark-1963.