Hellertown Manufacturing Co. v. Commonwealth

358 A.2d 424, 25 Pa. Commw. 90, 1976 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 1344
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 8, 1976
DocketAppeal, No. 1739 C.D. 1973
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 358 A.2d 424 (Hellertown Manufacturing Co. v. Commonwealth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hellertown Manufacturing Co. v. Commonwealth, 358 A.2d 424, 25 Pa. Commw. 90, 1976 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 1344 (Pa. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge Kramer,

This is an appeal by the Hellertown Manufacturing Company from a resettlement order of the Board of Finance and Revenue dated November 30, 1973, which [92]*92determined Hellertown’s corporate net income taxes for the tax year 1971. This case presents a narrow, but important question of first impression under the Tax Reform Code of 1971, Act of March 4, 1971, P. L. 6, as amended, 72 P.S. 7101 et seq. The question presented is whether the taxing authorities have abused their discretion by eliminating in the apportionment of Pennsylvania business income, sales of a foreign corporation made in states where the taxpayer is not subject to corporation taxes.1 We hold that there was no abuse of discretion under the facts of this ease.

To understand the significance of the issue presented, and our holding, we will adopt the following stipulated facts.2 Because of the importance of the case, we will set them forth verbatim:

“1. Hellertown Manufacturing Co., Appellant herein, is a Delaware corporation registered to do business in Pennsylvania, engaged in the manufacture and sale of spark plugs and allied products. Its manufacturing plant is located in Hellertown, Pennsylvania and its administrative office is located in Toledo, Ohio.

“2. Within the time provided by law, Appellant filed its Pennsylvania Corporate Net Income Tax Report for the year 1971 which showed inter alia:

Income to be Apportioned $854,074.12
Apportioned Percentage .667545
Income Apportioned to
Pennsylvania $570,132.91
[93]*93$ 77,745.40 Pa. Corporate Net Income Tax (Add Back)
$647,878.31 Pa. Taxable Income
$ 77,745.40 Tax at the Bate of Twelve Percent

The apportionment percentage as reported by Appellant was .667545. Attached hereto, made a part hereof and marked Exhibit “A” is a copy of said Corporate Net Income Tax Beport.

“3. Corporate Net Income Tax was timely settled against Appellant as follows:

Income to be Apportioned $854,074.12
Apportioned Percentage 100%
Income Apportioned to Pennsylvania $854,074.12
Pa. Corporate Net Income Tax (Add Back) $ 77,745.40
Pa. Taxable Income $931,819.52
Tax at the Bate of Twelve Percent $111,818.34

This settlement did not reflect the nse of any apportionment fraction; i.e., Appellant’s income was all (100%) allocated to Pennsylvania. Attached hereto, made a part hereof and marked Exhibit “B” is a copy of said settlement.

“4. The Appellant, on April 27, 1973, timely filed with the Secretary of Bevenne and the Auditor General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a Petition for Besettlement of its 1971 Corporate Net Income Tax objecting to the settlement hereinabove mentioned in paragraph 3. The Appellant received a notice dated May 31, 1973 from the Besettlement Board that its Petition for Besettlement was refused. Attached hereto, and made a part hereof and labeled Exhibit ‘ ‘ C ” is a copy of said notice.

“5. On July 18, 1973, Appellant timely filed a Petition for Beview with the Board of Finance and Bevenne. The Board of Finance and Bevenne, on [94]*94November 30, 1973, resettled follows: and taxed Appellant as

Property = $4,220,763
fraction $4,220,763
Wage = $3,036,614
fraction $3,036,614
Sales - fraction $ 34,661 $ 397)53 x $854,074.12 pins
$ 77,745.40,
Penna, Corp. Net Income Tax
Tax at 12% = $107,976.24

Tbe apportionment percentage as determined by tbe Board of Finance and Revenue is .962512. Tbe sales fraction as-determined by the Board of Finance and Revenue is a fraction tbe numerator of wbicb is Appellant’s gross receipts from sales where tbe property was delivered to customers located in Pennsylvania and tbe denominator of wbicb is Appellant’s total gross receipts from sales where tbe property was delivered to customers located in Pennsylvania or Ohio. Eliminated from tbe denominator of tbe sales fraction are Appellant’s gross receipts from sales to customers located in states other than Ohio and Pennsylvania (so-called “throw-out” rule; i.e., this rule eliminates from tbe denominator of tbe sales factor, all destination sales to those States in wbicb tbe taxpayer does not transact business nor is subject to specific corporation taxes, or in wbicb destination the State does not have tbe requisite jurisdiction to impose a net income tax regardless of whether, in fact, such State does or does not). A true and correct copy of tbe Board of Finance and Revenue’s order is attached hereto, and made part hereof and marked Exhibit “D”.

[95]*95“6. On December 26, 1973, the Appellant timely filed an Appeal and Specification of Objections in the Office of the Prothonotary of the Commonwealth Conrt with respect to its 1971 Corporate Net Income Tax liability. Appellant also timely filed in the Office of the Prothonotary of the Commonwealth Court the appropriate Appeal Bond. By letter dated December 31, 1973 the Department of Justice was notified of this Appeal.

“7. Appellant was incorporated under the laws of Delaware on December 22, 1950 and started business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 2, 1951. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Champion Spark Plug Company, hereinafter referred to as Champion, a Delaware corporation which is also qualified to do business in Pennsylvania. Champion is engaged in world-wide operations primarily connected with the research, development, manufacture and sale of spark plugs.

“8. Appellant maintains at its plant in Heller-town, Pennsylvania, accounting books and records pertaining to among other items, cash, sales, purchases, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and fixed assets. These books and records are separate from the books and records of Champion. Appellant maintains bank accounts at the Saucon Valley Trust Company, Hellertown, Pennsylvania and at the Morgan Guarantee Trust Company, New York, New York. Appellant’s stock certificate and minute books are kept and maintained at the offices as described below in Toledo, Ohio.

‘ ‘ 9. The officers of Champion are:
President R. A. Stranahan, Jr.
Vice-President R. E. Surface
Vice-President & Treasurer R. J. Brotje, Jr.
Secretary R. H. Crook, Jr.
Controller T. L. Emrick
[96]*96‘ ‘ 10. The officers of Appellant are:
President R. A. Stranahan Jr.
Vice-President R. E. Surface
Vice-President & Treasurer R. J. Brotje, Jr.
Secretary R. H. Crook, Jr.

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Bluebook (online)
358 A.2d 424, 25 Pa. Commw. 90, 1976 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 1344, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hellertown-manufacturing-co-v-commonwealth-pacommwct-1976.