Welcome Wagon International, Inc. v. South Dakota Department of Revenue

318 N.W.2d 5, 1982 S.D. LEXIS 287
South Dakota Supreme Court·Decided April 7, 1982·No. 13528·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

FOSHEIM, Justice.

The South Dakota Department of Revenue (Department) determined that the revenues of Welcome Wagon International, Inc. (appellant), are subject to the tax imposed by the Retail Sales and Service Tax Act, SDCL ch. 10-45. The circuit court affirmed the Department’s determination. We reverse.

Appellant is a nationwide company which employs local agents to contact new residents, newlyweds and couples with a new born baby within the agent’s locality. The agent contacts these individuals at their homes, explains the various business services available within the area, and leaves them with promotional literature. Appellant’s income is generated from the businesses it represents when it contacts local residents. Each business executes a contract agreeing to pay appellant for its services.

The sole issue on appeal is whether appellant is exempt from the Retail Sales and Service Tax Act by reason of the exemption granted to “advertising services” in SDCL 10-45-12.1. It is the position of the Department that the services of appellant are subject to tax pursuant to SDCL 10-45-5.2.

SDCL 10-45-5.2 specifically subjects certain services, as enumerated in the 1972 Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC Manual), to taxation. The SIC Manual is prepared by the Statistical Policy Divi *6 sion of the Federal Government’s Office of Management and Budget. Among the groups made subject to the tax by SDCL 10-45-5.2 is “business services (major group 73).” In the SIC Manual, classified under the general heading of Major Group 73— Business Services, are various types of services designated by group number and each group number is subdivided by industry number. For example, Group No. 731 — Advertising is subdivided into four categories: Industry No. 7311 — Advertising Agencies; Industry No. 7312 — Outdoor Advertising Services; Industry No. 7313 — Radio, Television, and Publisher’s Advertising Representatives; Industry No. 7319 — -Advertising, Not Elsewhere Classified. Welcome Wagon, by name, is classified in the SIC Manual under Major Group 73 — Business Services in Group No. 739 — Miscellaneous Business Services, Industry No. 7399 — Business Services Not Elsewhere Classified.

SDCL 10-45-4 provides, in part, that “any service as defined by SDCL 10-45-4.1 1 shall be taxable, unless the service is specifically exempt from the provisions of this chapter.” Appellant claims exclusion under the exemption for “advertising services” contained in SDCL 10-45-12.1, 2 entitled “services specifically exempt from tax.” Since it appears undisputed that the services of appellant fall within the definition of “service” contained in SDCL 10-45-4.1, we must determine if they were services specifically exempt from the provisions of the chapter under SDCL 10-45-12.1.

The thrust of appellant’s argument is that it was misclassified in a nonadvertising category by the federal government in the 1972 SIC Manual, but that such misclassifi-cation should not prevent it from receiving the 12.1 exemption as it has demonstrated that it is in fact an advertising service. At oral argument appellant contended it *7 should properly be classified under Group No. 731 — Advertising, Industry No. 7319— Advertising, Not Elsewhere Classified. Appellant argues that since 12.1’s exemption for advertising services is found in that part of the statute which does not specifically refer to the SIC Manual, any service, however or whether classified in the SIC Manual, which can prove it is an advertising service should be allowed the exemption for advertising services. We agree.

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

Welcome Wagon International, Inc. v. South Dakota Department of Revenue, 318 N.W.2d 5, 1982 S.D. LEXIS 287 (S.D. 1982).

318 N.W.2d 5 (Welcome Wagon International, Inc. v. South Dakota Department of Revenue) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Nancy Thielen School of Piano v. State Board of Equalization
486 N.W.2d 32 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1992)
Sioux Falls Newspapers, Inc. v. Secretary of Revenue
423 N.W.2d 806 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1988)
In Re the Sales Tax Liability of Valley Queen Cheese
387 N.W.2d 39 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1986)
Karlen v. Janklow
339 N.W.2d 322 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1983)