TSCPA Governmental Affairs

Past TSCPA Chairman Jeff Gregg appointed to MSU Board of Regents

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Jeff Gregg, CPA, of Seymour to a six-year term on the Midwestern State University Board of Regents.

Jeff is the immediate TSCPA Past Chairman, having served for the 2010-2011 TSCPA year. You can see Jeff’s other notable accomplishments in the governor’s appointment announcement. Congratulations to Jeff for his continued public service.

Fraudulent "Phishing" Scam Designed to Look Like AICPA Email

TSCPA was just notified of two email scams designed to look like AICPA communications.

One has the subject heading 'Your accountant license can be revoked'. The other is headed 'Tax return fraud notification’.

Both emails are fraudulent; as with any other spam, don't open any attachments or click any links within these bogus emails.

See AICPA's notice on the matter here.

Texas Supreme Court Dismisses Constitutional Challenge to Texas Margin Tax

Today, Feb. 10, 2012, the Texas Supreme Court dismissed the Nestle USA, Inc., Switchplace, LLC, and NSBMA, LP, Realtors challenge to the constitutionality of the Texas Margin Tax for lack of jurisdiction.

Unlike the Allcat challenge, the court did not refer the issue to a district court but ruled that that petitioners did not have the right to sue for franchise tax refunds because “petitioners did not pay their taxes under protest or request a refund from the Comptroller, statutory prerequisites to taxpayer suits…” Evidently Allcat had filed under protest which allowed that case to be referred to a district court.

The Court explained that suits for tax refunds are only allowed under specific statutes and that petitioners did not meet the requirements of those statutes. This appears to end Nestle’s constitutional challenge to the tax.
You can read the nine-page opinion on the Texas Supreme Court website.