Troy M. Van Dongen

Troy Van Dongen focuses his practice on the resolution of state and local tax (SALT) controversies through negotiation and litigation. He advises clients across the country in a variety of state and local tax matters, including income, franchise, sales, and use taxes, and he has a particularly strong background in property taxation.
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Seattle Payroll Expense Tax Upheld by State Appellate Court
By Troy M. Van Dongen on Jun 23, 2022
Posted In Federal Tax, Local Tax, Nationwide Importance, Washington
This week, the Washington Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a challenge to the recently enacted payroll expense tax in Seattle, WA. Seattle Metro. Chamber of Commerce v. City of Seattle, No. 82830-4-I, 2022 WL 2206828 (Wash. Ct. App. June 21, 2022). The tax, which went into effect on January 1,...
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Washington State Capital Gains Tax Held Unconstitutional
By Troy M. Van Dongen on Mar 8, 2022
Posted In Federal Tax, Income Tax, Local Tax, Nationwide Importance, Washington
The Washington State capital gains tax, which went into effect on January 1, 2022, has been held unconstitutional by the Douglas County Superior Court. Created in 2021, the tax was ostensibly labeled an “excise” tax in an effort by the Washington State Legislature (Legislature) to avoid difficulties associated with implementing an income tax in the...
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CDTFA Proposes Significant Revisions to Chapters 4 and 13 of the Sales Tax Audit Manual
By Charles Moll, III, Troy M. Van Dongen, Marcy Jo Mandel and Elle Kaiser on Feb 10, 2022
Posted In Audits, California, Local Tax, Nationwide Importance, Sales Tax
On February 2, 2022, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) held an interested parties meeting (IPM) to discuss proposed amendments to sales tax audit manual (AM) Chapter 13, “Statistical Sampling,” and Chapter 4, “General Audit.” Prior to the IPM, the CDTFA released a lengthy discussion paper outlining the extensive proposed changes to...
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Washington State’s Mandatory Withholding for Long-Term Care Put on Hold
By Troy M. Van Dongen on Jan 27, 2022
Posted In Insurance Tax, Local Tax, Nationwide Importance, Washington
In 2019, the Washington State Legislature (Legislature) established the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program (LTSS Trust Program) to provide funding for eligible beneficiaries that they can apply to the cost of their long-term care. The LTSS Trust Program is funded through a 0.58% payroll tax on employee wages, which went into effect on January...
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Governor Newsom Announces New Relief for Remitting California Sales Tax
By Charles Moll, III, Troy M. Van Dongen, Marcy Jo Mandel and Elle Kaiser on Dec 1, 2020
Posted In California, Interest and Penalties, Nationwide Importance, Sales Tax
On Monday, November 30, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California will provide temporary tax relief for eligible businesses impacted by restrictions imposed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement indicates that the Governor will direct the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) to: Provide an automatic three-month extension for taxpayers filing less...
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Alert: California False Claims Expansion Bill Advances to the Senate
By Stephen P. Kranz, Charles Moll, III, Troy M. Van Dongen and Elle Kaiser on Jun 16, 2020
Posted In California, False Claims Act, Illinois, Interest and Penalties, Nationwide Importance, New York, Procedure
Like the days of the Old West, last week a masked gang held up local businesses demanding their wallets. Unlike the days of the Old West, this was not the hole-in-the-wall gang, but the California State Assembly who, on June 10, 2020, approved AB 2570, a bill that authorizes tax-based false claims actions. If passed, AB...
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False Claims Never Die in California
By Stephen P. Kranz, Charles Moll, III, Troy M. Van Dongen, Elle Kaiser and McDermott Will & Emery on Jun 4, 2020
Posted In California, False Claims Act, Illinois
Recently, AB 2570 has cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which authorizes tax-based false claims actions—allowing private, profit-motivated parties to bring punitive civil enforcement lawsuits. The bill is now on the Assembly floor for consideration and faces a June 19 house-of-origin deadline for passage. The bill is similar to a bill that failed to pass last...
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False Claims Bill Advances in California – Taxpayers Beware!
By Charles Moll, III, Elle Kaiser, Stephen P. Kranz and Troy M. Van Dongen on May 12, 2020
Posted In California, False Claims Act, Illinois
California’s bill to authorize tax-based false claims actions—allowing private, profit-motivated parties to bring punitive civil enforcement lawsuits—cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee on May 11 in a party-line vote. The bill, AB 2570, is sponsored by the committee’s chair, Assemblymember Mark Stone (D), and has strong backing from Attorney General Xavier Becerra. It now goes to...
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Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Providing Last Minute Property Tax Relief
By Charles Moll, III, Elle Kaiser, Marcy Jo Mandel and Troy M. Van Dongen on May 7, 2020
Posted In California, Property Tax
On Tuesday we authored a blog post commending San Francisco County Assessor Carmen Chu for moving the deadline for businesses to file their Business Property Statements (Form 571-L) to June 1 of this year. We noted that California statutory authority provides that if the property tax filing deadline falls on a date when the county...
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Last Minute Relief for Filers of Business Property Statements
By Charles Moll, III, Elle Kaiser, Marcy Jo Mandel and Troy M. Van Dongen on May 5, 2020
Posted In California, Local Tax, Procedure, Unitary Business
Once again, San Francisco has shown leadership in addressing property tax relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, May 4, 2020, the San Francisco County Assessor announced that she was moving the deadline for businesses to file their Business Property Statements (Form 571-L) to June 1 of this year, due to physical office closure of...
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