Era Helicopters, Inc. v. Louisiana Ex Rel. Department of Revenue & Taxation

651 F. Supp. 448, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 328
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 20, 1987
DocketNo. 86-467-B
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 651 F. Supp. 448 (Era Helicopters, Inc. v. Louisiana Ex Rel. Department of Revenue & Taxation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Era Helicopters, Inc. v. Louisiana Ex Rel. Department of Revenue & Taxation, 651 F. Supp. 448, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 328 (M.D. La. 1987).

Opinion

POLOZOLA, District Judge.

The plaintiff, ERA Helicopters, Inc. (“ERA”), originally brought this suit in the Eastern District of Louisiana seeking a declaration that all or some parts of the Louisiana Sales & Use Tax statutes, La. Rev.Stat. 47:301 et seq. and the regulations thereunder, are unconstitutional either on their face or as applied under the Commerce, Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the United States Constitution. The suit was transferred to the Middle District of Louisiana.

Plaintiff contends that the statutes preclude plaintiff from being certified and registered as a “dealer”, that is as a for-hire common carrier in interstate or foreign commerce. As a result, plaintiff contends he is precluded from calculating, reporting and paying Louisiana sales and use taxes [449]*449under the optional method provided in La. Rev.Stat. 47:306.1.

Plaintiff seeks an order enjoining and requiring that defendant deliver to plaintiff a certificate attesting to its registration as a “dealer” under La.Rev.Stat. 47:306.1.

The defendants have now filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Defendants contend the suit should be dismissed on the following grounds: (1) this court lacks jurisdiction by virtue of the provisions of the Tax Injunction Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1341; (2) the Eleventh Amendment to Constitution bars this suit against the State of Louisiana because the state has not consented to be sued or waived immunity; (3) the principles of comity and the doctrine of abstention apply; (4) and, the suit was filed in an improper venue.

The defendants’ motion to dismiss for improper venue was granted by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. In lieu of dismissal, the Eastern District transferred the case to this court. The court reserved for this court a ruling on the remaining grounds of defendants’ motion to dismiss.

The first question the court must consider is whether or not this court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this suit. 28 U.S.C. § 1341 provides that:

The district courts shall not enjoin, suspend or restrain the assessment, levy or collection of any tax under State law where a plain, speedy and efficient remedy may be had in the courts of such State.

It is well settled that § 1341 applies to suits wherein declaratory relief is sought. Archer Daniels Midland v. McNamara, 544 F.Supp. 99, 101 (M.D.La.1982). “The statute ‘implements important principles of comity and is a broad jurisdictional barrier to claims made in federal court that a state tax is illegal or unconstitutional’ ” Id. at 101 citing Edwards v. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line, 464 F.Supp. 654 (M.D.La. 1979).

Plaintiff argues that § 1341, by its terms, does not apply under the facts of this case because ERA is not attempting to “enjoin, suspend or restrain the assessment, levy or collection” of Louisiana sales taxes. Instead ERA asserts that it simply seeks to compel the Department of Revenue and Taxation to issue to ERA an interstate or foreign carrier dealer’s registration certificate. In support of its contention plaintiff relies on Louisville & Nashville R.R. Co. v. Atkins, 390 F.Supp. 576, 578 (M.D.Tenn.), aff'd, 423 U.S. 802, 96 S.Ct. 10, 46 L.Ed.2d 24 (1975); Superior Oil Co. v. City of Port Arthur, 535 F.Supp. 916 (E.D.Tex.1982); and, Hargrave v. McKinney, 413 F.2d 320 (5th Cir.1969).

The court finds plaintiff’s reliance on these cases misplaced because these cases are distinguishable from the facts presented in the case now before the court. Although plaintiff argues that it merely “seeks to pay (emphasis plaintiff’s) sales taxes under the alternative taxing system” and therefore does not seek to “enjoin, suspend or restrain”, it is clear from the record that plaintiff seeks to avoid the payment of taxes on property and goods which plaintiff claims is used in Interstate Commerce.

In addition to the Tax Injunction Act, the principles of comity also prohibit a federal court from restraining the collection of state taxes when remedies at law are plain, adequate and complete. Fair Assessment in Real Estate Association v. McNary, 454 U.S. 100, 102 S.Ct. 177, 70 L.Ed.2d 271 (1981); Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company v. Huffman, 319 U.S. 293, 63 S.Ct. 1070, 87 L.Ed. 1407 (1943).

Therefore, if a “plain, speedy and efficient remedy” is available in the state court, the Tax Injunction Act and principles of comity are a complete barrier to the jurisdiction of the federal court. Fair Assessment in Real Estate Association v. McNamara supra; Archer Daniels Midland v. McNamara, supra.

As this court held in Archer Daniels Midland v. McNamara, there are two basic remedies available under Louisiana law [450]*450to challenge the constitutionality of the statutes involved in this case. The first of these remedies is provided in La.Rev.Stat. 47:1576. Section 1576 provides that a person who feels that he is aggrieved by the assessment, levy or collection of a state tax in Louisiana may pay the tax assessed under protest, and, within the time limits provided in the statutes, sue for recovery thereof. The statute affords a taxpayer a “full and complete adjudication” of the legality and method of enforcement of tax statutes complained of. The statute also provides a legal remedy in the state court in cases where the tax is claimed to be an unlawful burden on Interstate Commerce or in violation of any act of Congress, the United States Constitution or the statutes or constitution of Louisiana.

Plaintiff contends that it may not be afforded a remedy under La.R.S. 47:1576 for several reasons. First, the plaintiff asserts that the statute by its terms only applies to those taxpayers who pay funds directly to the Department of Revenue and Taxation and therefore is inapplicable to a party in its posture, who is forced to pay general sales taxes to any Dealer/Seller from whom it purchases goods or merchandise. Plaintiff asserts that without a certificate and registration number, it is forced to pay the taxes at the time of purchase. The Dealer/Seller then remits the taxes to the Department of Revenue and Taxation. Plaintiff also argues that the statute requires the funds be escrowed and that if not done, the plaintiff is barred from recovery.

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Bluebook (online)
651 F. Supp. 448, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 328, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/era-helicopters-inc-v-louisiana-ex-rel-department-of-revenue-taxation-lamd-1987.