Tiger v. State Tax Commission

277 S.W.2d 561, 1955 Mo. LEXIS 736
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedApril 11, 1955
Docket44086
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 277 S.W.2d 561 (Tiger v. State Tax Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tiger v. State Tax Commission, 277 S.W.2d 561, 1955 Mo. LEXIS 736 (Mo. 1955).

Opinion

DALTON, Presiding Judge.

This is an appeal by the Director of Revenue from the order and judgment of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County in a proceeding filed in that court by respondent herein to review a decision of the State Tax Commission. See Sections 536.110 and 536.140 RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S. The cause involves a construction of certain statutes with reference to determining net income for income tax purposes.

The facts are not in dispute. The trial court’s decision was based upon an agreed statement of the case filed in the Circuit Court under the provisions of Section 536.130 RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S. As to the scope of judicial review in reviewing the holding of an administrative agency such as the State Tax Commission, see Article V, Section 22, Constitution of Missouri 1945, V.A.M.S.; Section 536.140, supra; Seabaugh’s Dependents v. Garver Lumber Mfg. Co., 355 Mo. 1153, 200 S.W.2d 55.

*563 This '■ourt has jurisdiction of this appeal since it involves the construction of the revenue laws of this state. Article V, Section 3, Constitution of Missouri 1945; State ex rel. Lane v. Corneli, 347 Mo. 932, 149 S.W.2d 815, 817.

The facts as they appear from the agreed statement arc about as follows: Hilda Tiger, a taxpayer and the respondent herein, in making out her Missouri State Income Tax Return for the year 1947 deducted from her other income the sum of $1,875, which was the full amount of her net loss from the sale of certain securities which she had held for only two months of that year. In computing miscellaneous deductions, she included as one of her deductions the sum of $150, which was the amount of the Federal Excise Tax on a fur coat she had purchased and paid for during that year.

Subsequently, respondent was notified by the Director of Revenue that $61.03 additional income tax, including interest and penalty, had been assessed against her as a result of the Director’s disallowing entirely the $150 item of Federal Excise Tax and allowing only $306.88 of the $1,875 claimed as the deduction for loss on the sale of securities. Thereafter, respondent took her appeal to the State Tax Commission. The facts were there stipulated and a hearing had. The Commission ruled that the $150 Federal Excise Tax paid by respondent was allowable as a deductible item. The Commission further allowed, as a deductible item, $1,000 on account of respondent’s loss from the sale of her securities instead of the $1,875 claimed.

Respondent, thereafter, filed in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County her petition for a review of the decision of the State Tax Commission and sought to limit her review of the State Tax Commission’s order to the matter of the Commission’s order in denying her credit for the full amount of her short term capital loss. On review in the circuit court appellant contended that the Tax Commission erred in its allowance of the $150 Federal Excise Tax as a deductible item and appellant requested the court to review that finding in addition to respondent’s claim to credit for the full $1,875 as a deduction for loss. The circuit court determined both issues in favor of respondent. It- sustained the State Tax Commission’s allowance of the $150 Federal Excise Tax item as a proper deduction and further held that the $1,875 loss should be allowed in full as a deduction in the determination of respondent’s net income for 1947. Appellant thereupon took his appeal to this court. Respondent has raised no question here as to the trial court’s right to consider both matters decided by it.

Appellant says that the record presents two questions of law, as follows: (1) Is the amount of federal excise tax paid on an item purchased deductible by the purchaser as a tax paid within the year on his return of state income taxes ? (2) Is a short term loss on the sale of personal property deductible in full from gross income? Appellant contends the judgment appealed from is erroneous (1) because the “Federal Excise Tax paid is not an item deductible by a vendee as taxes paid on a Missouri Income Tax return” and (2) because under the State law the maximum deductible loss on the sale of personal property is limited to $1,000.

Section 143.010 RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S., in part, provides: “Every individual, a citizen or resident of this state, shall pay a tax upon net income received from all sources during the preceding year in excess of the exemptions heuein provided.” No specific exemptions are provided by said section. Subdivision 7 of Section 143.100 RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S., provides: “Net income shall be determined by deducting from income the deductions now or thereafter provided by law.” Various deductions in the determination of net income are provided by Section 143.160 RSMo 1949, V.A. M.S. The section in part provides: “In ascertaining net income there may be deducted from gross income derived during the same period the following: * * * (4) Texas: All taxes paid within the year imposed by the authority of the United States or its territories or possessions, or *564 foreign country or under authority of any state, county, school district or municipality or other taxing subdivision of any state or country, not including those assessed against local benefits and inheritance taxes and taxes based on income, except those imposed by the United States on incomes.”

In construing the above statutes we follow the applicable rules of construction as stated in the case of American Bridge Co. v. Smith, 352 Mo. 616, 179 S.W. 2d 12, 15, 157 A.L.R. 798, as follows: “ ‘The primary rule of construction of statutes is to ascertain the lawmakers’ intent, from the words used if possible; and to put upon the language of the Legislature, honestly and faithfully, its plain and rational meaning and to promote its object, and “the manifest purpose of the statute, considered historically,” is properly given consideration.’ Cummins v. Kansas City Public Service Co., 334 Mo. 672, 66 S.W.2d 920, 925; Artophone Corporation v. Coale, 345 Mo. 344, 133 S.W.2d 343. While statutes authorizing a particular tax are to be construed strictly against the taxing authority (A. J. Meyer & Co. v. Unemployment Compensation Commission, 348 Mo. 147, 152 S.W.2d 184), a tax exempting statute will be strictly construed against him who claims to be exempt under it. Mississippi River Fuel Corporation v. Smith, 350 Mo. 1, 164 S.W.2d 370.”

Since respondent claims the right to deduct the $150 excise tax as a tax imposed by the authority of the United States and paid by her within the year, we must review the applicable federal statutes and regulations, as follows: Title 26 U.S.C.A. § 2401 provides: “There is hereby imposed upon the following articles sold at retail a tax equivalent to 10 percentum of the price for which so sold: Articles made of fur on the hide or pelt * * Under Section 1650, Title 26 U.S.C.A. providing war tax rates, the rate of furs was increased to 20 per centum.

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Bluebook (online)
277 S.W.2d 561, 1955 Mo. LEXIS 736, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tiger-v-state-tax-commission-mo-1955.