Lacey Nursing Ctr. v. STATE, DEPT. OF REV.

11 P.3d 839
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 21, 2000
Docket24612-1-II, 24894-8-II
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 11 P.3d 839 (Lacey Nursing Ctr. v. STATE, DEPT. OF REV.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lacey Nursing Ctr. v. STATE, DEPT. OF REV., 11 P.3d 839 (Wash. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

11 P.3d 839 (2000)
103 Wash.App. 169

LACEY NURSING CENTER, INC., Appellant,
v.
STATE of Washington, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, a Governmental entity, Respondents.
Olympic Health Services, Inc., and Sherwood Manor, Inc., Washington corporations, Appellants,
v.
State of Washington, Department of Revenue, a Governmental entity.

Nos. 24612-1-II, 24894-8-II.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 2.

October 27, 2000.
As Amended on Denial of Reconsideration December 21, 2000.

*840 George E. Kargianis, Kargianis, Watkins, Werner, Charles Cleveland Stockmeyer, Seattle, Raymond G. Dodge, Spokane, for Appellants.

Cameron Gordon Comfort, Assistant Attorney General, Olympia, for Respondent.

PART PUBLISHED OPINION

ARMSTRONG, C.J.

Lacey Nursing Center, Inc., Olympic Health Services, Inc., and Sherwood Manor, Inc. (Taxpayers) are for-profit nursing homes that seek refunds of business and occupation taxes for the period 1989 through 1992. Taxpayers claim an exemption from B & O taxes for that portion of their revenue derived from the lease of rooms to residents. This claim is based on the sale-of-real-estate exemption under RCW 82.04.390 and WAC 458-20-118 (Rule 118) that includes proceeds derived from renting or leasing property. Taxpayers argue that they are entitled to a presumption that they lease rather than license real property because most of their residents occupy their rooms for a continuous period of more than one month. The Department of Revenue argues that the sale-of-real-estate exemption does not apply to leased or rented property and, in the alternative, that nursing homes are not eligible for the exemption. In addition, the Department argues that Taxpayers merely grant licenses to residents to occupy their rooms. The trial court granted summary judgment for the Department, and Taxpayers appeal. We affirm, holding that Taxpayers do not lease rooms to their residents.

FACTS

I. Taxpayers' Operations

Taxpayers are for-profit nursing homes licensed by the State of Washington. According to the Washington Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, they are a business dedicated to caring for people during the most physically frail moments in their life. The specialized care and many services found in a nursing home are not found in any other setting. Nursing homes provide personal services and medical care *841 24 hours a day, seven days a week for their residents.

The majority of Taxpayers' residents fund their stay through the Medicaid or Medicare programs. Nursing homes eligible for Medicaid and Medicare are subject to a series of federal and state laws and regulations that govern the rights and treatment of residents. See generally 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395i-3, 1396r; 42 C.F.R. § 483.1; RCW 18.51, 74.42, and WAC 388-97.

For example, residents can only be admitted to a nursing home by a doctor's orders, and they can stay only as long as both they and the doctor believe it is necessary for them to receive special personal and medical services that the doctor has ordered. See WAC 388-97-085(3)(b). The resident's physician must document the clinical bases for any change in the resident's condition justifying discharge. 42 U.S.C. §§ 1396r(c)(2)(A), 1395i-3(c)(2)(A); 42 C.F.R. § 483.12(a)(3). See also RCW 74.42.450. Once admitted, most residents remain in the nursing home for the rest of their lives.

During their occupancy, residents may control the temperature, lighting, and windows in their rooms. They have the right to use personal belongings and their own bed and furnishings. 42 C.F.R. § 483.15(h); WAC 388-97-070(15). They may lock their room doors from the inside. They may have a refrigerator in the room, a direct telephone line, and within space limits, may furnish and decorate their rooms. Residents are free to come and go from the facility, and they may have visitors at any time during the day or night. They wear their own clothes.

Nursing home residents also may admit or exclude anyone from the room, including nursing home staff. Except for emergencies or for routine housekeeping, staff members knock, identify themselves, and ask permission to enter. Residents may refuse medical treatment. 42 C.F.R. §§ 483.10(b)(4), 483.10(d)(l)-(3); WAC 388-97-070(4)(d).

ANALYSIS

While acknowledging that Taxpayers' residents enjoy some of the indicia of tenancy, the trial court concluded that their residency is incidental to the care provided and is only a license to use and occupy a portion of Taxpayers' premises in order to receive health care services. In analyzing this conclusion, we address several interrelated questions.

A. Does the-sale-of-real-estate exemption from Washington's business and occupation tax apply to the proceeds derived from renting or leasing real property?

The Department contends that the sale-of-real-estate exemption does not apply to the rental or lease of real estate. We disagree.

Washington's business and occupation tax (B & O) is imposed on every person for the act or privilege of engaging in business activities in this state. RCW 82.04.220. The statutes governing the B & O tax define numerous terms. And, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions apply throughout the chapter. RCW 82.04.010. The general directive is followed by specific categories of taxation and specific exemptions and deductions. See RCW 82.04.2201-2907; see also RCW 82.04.310-427.

RCW 82.04.390 exempts the gross proceeds derived from the sale of real estate from the tax. In RCW 82.04.040, sale is defined in part as

any transfer of the ownership of, title to, or possession of property for a valuable consideration and includes any activity classified as a sale at retail or retail sale under RCW 82.04.050. It includes renting or leasing,

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

Related

State v. Simmons
113 Wash. App. 29 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
11 P.3d 839, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lacey-nursing-ctr-v-state-dept-of-rev-washctapp-2000.