My name is Coco Hardy and I am a Senior Tax Analyst for Sabrix and lead the group responsible for maintaining all US rates and calculation logic. I earned my BBA in Accounting with an emphasis in Internal Audit from Boise State University. I’ve been working for Sabrix for 2 ½ years, prior to which I’ve worked in forensic accounting and was a controller overseeing revenues and expenditures (including Sales Tax Expense and Sales Tax Payable).
Working in the Worldwide Tax Research Department I constantly filter through a large influx of news and information to stay abreast of all the sales and use tax changes. I’m excited to now have the opportunity to share with you some of the more interesting things that I stumble upon.
Sorry for the delay but another month has rolled around and it's time to talk about what sales and use tax rate changes are effective. It is February and it's not a particularly popular month to change your rates unless you're in Alabama. 
January is just around the corner and in the sales and use tax world that means that a lot of changes are becoming effective. January is typically the month that has by and large the most changes out of any other month of the year, a close second is July which is then followed by April and October. Here are a couple of highlights of some major changes that are taking effect. However, because of the sheer amount I cannot cover them all and if you need to find out if the jurisdictions you're registered in are changing I recommend going directly to the source (the sales and use tax administrator).
Cook County is popping up in the new again. There has been an on-going battle for months now between the County Commissioners and the County President (you may have seen an 
December is a slow month in the sales and use tax world. There are some rates changing in Alabama. There are also some sales tax holidays in Alaska. Absent from this year's roster of sales tax holidays is the one in DC that in the past has begun on the day after Thanksgiving and ran for 10 days. This holiday along with their summer back to school sales tax holiday were eliminated this year as a result of budget cuts. 
Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana held a press conference yesterday and announced that the sales tax amnesty program which concluded on October 31st brought in $303.7 million and they're still counting. A 
I came across a letter ruling in Illinois regarding the flu shot. Of course with the additional risk of contracting the H1N1 strain getting your flu shots has been a hot topic in the media. So when I saw the letter ruling (
and will conclude at the end of November.
prepared food. The big holiday is the 3 month holiday exempting the non-business purchases of qualified Energy Star products in 
The Governor issued a 
The first is the 25% increase in the state sales and use tax rate in Massachusetts. This rate change impacts the general sales and use tax as well as the sales tax levied on meals. There are several other changes but a first for Massachusetts is that they are allowing local governments to impose a local option tax on the sales of meals up to 0.75%. More details on the sales tax changes that are going into effect can be found on the 
quarter starts (March, June, September & December). So it is indeed unique that there are sales tax changes becoming effective but I guess in this economy nothing is impossible. The city sales tax rate is increasing from 4% to 4.5% which will bring the total sales and use tax rate to 8.875% on the first. There are a few other changes but another one to take note of is that there will no longer be a full exemption from New York City's sales tax for the sale of clothing and footwear. After August the exemption will only apply to the sales of clothing and footwear that are less than $110. This may hit home to some as many families will be back to school shopping in the upcoming weeks. All the details of the changes to New York City can be found on the 
Yes, it’s that time again. Time for back to school shopping. States differ on the variety of items that are exempt and the threshold amount. Most states will exempt clothing and footwear while others will also exempt school supplies and computers as well. So parents can make sure that their kids have the latest styles for that all important first day of school outfit and stock up on the essentials needed in the classroom too (are trapper keepers still as cool as I remember them to be?). All while saving on that pesky sales tax. Here is a brief breakdown of what is going to be offered this month and the next.
As I find new items to blog about I'm starting to think that instead of Sales and Use Tax News my blog should be titled Political Shenanigans. Maybe it's a sign of the times but it seems that there is more controversy as governments struggle to fill budget gaps. And such is the case with the Nevada state sales and use tax increase which will become effective 1 July 2009.
On 13 May 2009 West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin signed Executive Order No. 10-09 into law, enacting a suspension of consumer sales and use tax on specific purchases of construction materials being used for flood relief in Boone, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, and Wyoming Counties. The sales tax exemption became effective immediately (13 May 2009) and will continue until 10 June 2009. 
the one subject rule; a smart man if you ask me.
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