93-028

Response November 1, 1993

 

 

Request

November 1, 1993

 

 

Utah State Tax Commission

Attn: XXXXX, Auditing Division

Heber M. Wells Building

160 E. 300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84134

 

Dear XXXXX:

 

The XXXXX, a 501 c(6) non-profit corporation, operates the XXXXX and does tourism promotion for XXXXX Counties under a contract with XXXXX County, which has a inter local agreement with XXXXX County. The Counties allocate all of their Transient Room Tax to the XXXXX to be expended by the Chamber according to an annual marketing plan approved by both Counties. Although the Chamber has just one checking account, every expenditure for the XXXXX is approved by a XXXXX member and is tracked by a very good accounting system which treats the XXXXX as a separate cost center. An annual audit completed by a Certified Public Accountant and reviewed by the XXXXX County auditor verifies that expenditures of Transient Room Tax funds are in accordance with the contract. The Chamber also makes quarterly and annual reports to the XXXXX County Council and the XXXXX County Commission to see that the XXXXX is being operated in agreement with the wishes of the elected officials, the contract and the approved marketing plan.

 

We think that purchases made expressly for the XXXXX should be sales tax exempt because those purchases are made with Transient Room Tax funds with the guidance, direction and approval before and after the fact by XXXXX and XXXXX County.

 

We ask the Tax Commission to allow the Chamber to make sales tax exempt purchases when those purchases are specifically for the XXXXX using Transient Room Tax funds. We also ask that this ruling be made retroactive.

 

Sincerely,

 

XXXXX