Curtis C. Gunn, Inc. v. Bexar County Appraisal District

71 S.W.3d 425, 2002 WL 28026
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 30, 2002
Docket04-01-00470-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 71 S.W.3d 425 (Curtis C. Gunn, Inc. v. Bexar County Appraisal District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Curtis C. Gunn, Inc. v. Bexar County Appraisal District, 71 S.W.3d 425, 2002 WL 28026 (Tex. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

PHIL HARDBERGER, Chief Justice.

This appeal raises the issue of whether Curtis C. Gunn, Inc. (“Gunn”) can seek a commercial aircraft interstate allocation by filing a motion to correct under section 25.25(c)(3) of the Texas Tax Code. The trial court concluded that a motion to correct under section 25.25(c)(3) could not be used to obtain such an allocation and dismissed Gunn’s claims against Bexar Appraisal Board and Bexar Appraisal Review Board (collectively “Bexar Appraisal”) for lack of jurisdiction. Gunn presents two issues asserting: (1) a motion to correct under section 25.25(c)(3) is a proper means to seek a commercial aircraft interstate allocation because the failure to grant the interstate allocation involves an error in the location and use of the property; and (2) Gunn is entitled to the interstate allocation and such allocation is not unconstitutional. We conclude that a motion to correct under section 25.25(c)(3) is not a proper means to seek a commercial aircraft interstate allocation and affirm the trial court’s judgment. Because this issue is dispositive of the appeal, we do not reach appellant’s other issue. See Tex. R.App. P. 47.1.

BACKGROUND

Gunn and the Appraisal District submitted their case to the trial court based on an agreed statement of facts. Gunn is a Texas corporation, and its principal place of business is in Texas. Gunn owned an aircraft that it leased to Advantage Air Charter, Inc. (“Advantage”) from September 19, 1996, through December 31, 1999. The taxation of the aircraft is the subject of the underlying suit.

From September 19, 1996, through December 31, 1999, Advantage used the aircraft to provide flights on a charter basis. Advantage did not operate the aircraft along regularly scheduled routes; instead, the flight destinations were determined by the customers chartering the aircraft. The aircraft was generally based in Texas, where it was hangared when not under charter. The principal maintenance of the aircraft was performed in Texas.

During calendar year 1997, the aircraft made 48 flight departures, with only three departures to non-Texas locations. 2 During calendar year 1998, the aircraft made 260 flight departures, with only 21 departures to non-Texas locations. 3 During calendar year 1999, the aircraft made 409 flight departures, with only 40 departures to non-Texas locations. 4 The aircraft did not remain overnight on any occasion at a location outside Texas. To the extent the aircraft had taxable situs in Texas, it was *427 taxable in Bexar County for tax years 1997 through 1999.

For tax year 1997, Gunn rendered the aircraft at a value of $505,250; however, Bexar Appraisal valued the aircraft at $516,000. For tax year 1998, Gunn rendered the aircraft at a value of $505,250; however, Bexar Appraisal valued the aircraft at $577,900. For tax year 1999, Gunn rendered the aircraft at a value of $505,250; however, Bexar Appraisal valued the aircraft at $447,920. Gunn did not protest Bexar Appraisal’s valuation for tax years 1997,1998, or 1999.

On December 20, 1999, Gunn filed a motion to correct personal property account error with respect to tax years 1997, 1998, and 1999. After holding hearings, Bexar Appraisal denied the motions, and Gunn timely appealed the denial to the trial court. The trial court concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to hear Gunn’s claims because Gunn could not file a motion to correct under section 25.25(c)(3) of the Texas Tax Code to obtain the commercial aircraft interstate allocation contained in section 21.05 of the Texas Tax Code.

JURISDICTION

Gunn contends that the failure to grant an interstate allocation under section 21.05 of the Texas Tax Code (“Code”) involves an error that is subject to correction under section 25.25(c)(3). Section 25.25(c)(3) permits a property owner to file a motion requesting a change in the appraisal roll to correct “the inclusion of property that does not exist in the form or at the location described in the appraisal roll.” Tex. Tax Code Ann. § 25.25(c)(3) (Vernon 1992). The parties acknowledge that our sister courts have issued conflicting opinions -with regard to whether section 25.25(c)(3) may be used to correct an appraisal roll that does not include a proper interstate allocation under section 21.05.

In Himont U.S.A., Inc. v. Harris County Appraisal Dist., 904 S.W.2d 740, 741 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no writ), Himont did not render its railcars for taxation in 1991. Although Himont continually operated its railcars in interstate commerce, the tax appraisal district included the total value of the railcars on its appraisal roll without allocating the portion of the value that fairly reflected the railcars’ use in Texas. Himont U.S.A., Inc., 904 S.W.2d at 741. When Himont received a notice of value listing the rail-cars and their appraised value, Himont did not file a protest under chapter 41 of the Code. Id. However, Himont subsequently sent a letter requesting that the appraisal roll be corrected to reflect a proper allocation. Id. The appraisal district denied Hi-mont’s request, and the case was ultimately submitted to the trial court on agreed facts. Id. at 742. The trial court rendered judgment denying Himont all requested relief. Id.

On appeal, Himont argued that the excess value of its railcars allocable to other jurisdictions did not exist at the location described in the appraisal roll. Id. The Houston court of appeals noted that no earlier Texas case interpreted the phrase “location described in the appraisal roll” as used in section 25.25(c)(3). Id. at 743. The Houston court reasoned that location for ad valorem tax purposes is determined by whether the taxing state has a sufficient nexus with the personal property sought to be taxed to justify the tax. Id. When property is located both within the borders of Texas and within the borders of other states, the United States Constitution requires the states to apportion the tax situs or location of the property. Id. “Interstate allocation involves a question of both location and use of property.” Id. The Houston court concluded that for purposes of section 25.25(c)(3), that portion of *428 Himont’s railcars allocable to interstate commerce did not exist at the location described in the appraisal roll. Id.

In Aramco Associated Co. v. Harris County Appraisal Dist., 33 S.W.3d 361, 363 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 2000, pet. denied), Aramco filed a motion to correct the appraisal of its aircraft contending that its value was required to be allocated because it was an instrument of interstate commerce. The Texarkana court noted the Houston court’s decision in Himont,

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71 S.W.3d 425, 2002 WL 28026, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/curtis-c-gunn-inc-v-bexar-county-appraisal-district-texapp-2002.