90-008

Responses June 10, 1991 and December 28, 1990

 

 

 

June 10, 1991

 

XXXXX

 

Re: Advisory Opinion - XXXXX

 

Dear XXXXX:

 

This letter is for the purpose of revising our advisory opinion issued on December 28, 1990. You had requested that your purchase of a third XXXXX Station be exempt from sales or use tax under Code Section 59-12-104 (16) and Administrative Rule R865-19-85S.

 

Based upon a recent Tax Commission decision concerning a similar piece of equipment, it is now our opinion that your XXXXX Station does qualify as manufacturing equipment and is entitled to tax exemption on its purchase.

 

If you are now in agreement with this revised advisory opinion, please acknowledge your agreement and withdraw your Petition for Redetermination and request for a hearing by signing below and returning the signed copy of this letter.

 

For the Commission

 

Joe B. Pacheco

Commissioner

 

We are in agreement with you revised advisory opinion dated June 10, 1991, and therefore, request that our Petition for Redetermination be withdrawn.


 

BEFORE THE UTAH STATE TAX COMMISSION

 

XXXXX,

Petitioner

 

v.

 

Auditing Division of the

Utah State Tax Commission,

Respondent.

 

NOTICE

 

Appeal No. 91-0065

 

Tax Type: Sales

 

*****

 

Please be advised that the above captioned Petitioner has filed a request for agency action with the Utah State Tax Commission.

 

Further hearing on the request will be held at a date and time to be set by the Appeals and Legal Affairs Section.

 

Respondent must submit a written response within 3 days of the date of this notice, and send a copy to each party to the action. That response must contain the following:

 

1. The appeal number.

 

2. The name of the proceeding.

 

3. A statement of the relief that the Respondent seeks.

 

4. A statement of facts.

 

5. A statement summarizing the reasons that the relief requested should be granted.

 

Failure to file a responsive pleading may be grounds for a default judgment being entered against the offending party.

 

DATED this 8 day of march, 1991

 

XXXXX

Appeals Technician


January 23, 1991

 

XXXXX

Appeals Division

Utah State Tax Commission

160 East Third South

Salt Lake City, UT 84134

 

RE: Appeal of Advisory Opinion dated 12-28-90 and Petition for Hearing - XXXXX

 

1. Petitioner:

XXXXX

 

2. Tax Involved:

Sales tax on production equipment with a purchase price of $$$$$. The sales tax amount is $$$$$.

 

3. This petition results from the 12-28-90 advisory opinion from Mr. Joe B. Pacheco.

 

4 & 5 Relief sought:

Exemption from sales tax under rule R865-19-85S.

 

6. The auditing division states that the production process begins for XXXXX where actual printing takes place. In fact, the production process for XXXXX may be viewed as:

 

a) a continuous production process beginning with typesetting initiation (computerized page makeup) or;

 

b) two separate production processes, the first of which includes prepress production such as typesetting initiation (computerized page makeup) and camera department functions such as platemaking. The second production process would include printing and may be extended to finishing, including folding, binding and packaging.

 

I am including with this letter a copy of XXXXX's request of a declaratory judgement and Mr. Pacheco's letter.

 

Cordially,

 

XXXXX

Director of finance

 

December 28, 1990

 

XXXXX

Director of Finance

 

Re: Declaratory Judgment-XXXXX

 

Dear XXXXX:

 

This letter is in response to your recent request for a Tax Commission ruling on whether the purchase of a third XXXXX Work Station qualifies for sales or use tax exemption under Sales Tax Rule R865-19-85S. You stated in a telephone conversation with XXXXX that the equipment consisted of a XXXXX computer and special software, and that you had to buy the hardware in order to get the software. You further stated that the output would go to a typesetting machine.

 

Although your inquiry was framed as a request for a declaratory judgment, Tax Commission policy is to initially treat all such inquiries as requests for advisory opinions. As such, it was referred to the Tax Commission's Auditing Division for their analysis and recommendation. The division's recommendation is as follows:

 

1. Rule R865-19-85S provides an exemption for "new or expanding operations." This rule says "machinery means electronic or mechanical machines to be incorporated into a manufacturing or assembling process from the initial stage where actual processing begins. . . ."

 

2. Where actual processing begins is a key phrase. It means processing of the manufactured product, in XXXXX's case, where the actual printing takes place. The AdSpeed Work Station is used prior to the printing process, therefore, it is not qualifying equipment.

 

Based upon the facts presented in your letter, we are in agreement with the Auditing Division's recommendations. Obviously, if there are deviations from these facts, this opinion may be negated.

 

If you do not agree with this determination, you may appeal to the Tax Commission for a formal hearing. The results of that hearing would constitute a declaratory judgment and be appealable to the Utah State Supreme Court. A Notice of Appeal Rights is attached.

 

For the Commission,

 

Joe B. Pacheco


MEMORANDUM

 

TO: XXXXX

 

FROM: XXXXX

 

DATE: October 19, 1990

 

SUBJECT: Request for Advisory Opinion

 

XXXXX has requested a declaratory judgment/advisory opinion on the exempt status of a third XXXXX.

 

Please respond according to the guidelines established by the Commission. Thank you.


 

TO: Utah State Tax Commission

 

DATE: August 10, 1990

 

SUBJECT: S85 Exemption

 

XXXXX is currently installing a third XXXXX Workstation. This is a computerized ad makeup system. The Purchase price of this system is $$$$$. This equipment does not replace any other equipment at XXXXX. I believe this equipment is exempt from Utah State Sales Tax under rule A12-02-S85. In order to avoid the possible assessment of sales tax, penalty, and interest I would like a declaratory judgement to determine whether this piece of equipment qualifies for exemption.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.

 

Cordially,

 

XXXXX

Director of Finance