Secret out-of-state corporate tax breaks revealed

An Idaho tax commission auditor revealed a long-standing practice of secret tax settlements with out of state corporations that cost millions. Auditor Stan Howland, near retirment: “This allows these companies to avoid paying millions of dollars of income tax that are properly due the state of Idaho, and to do so in complete secrecy. The commission has settled the majority of all multistate corporate protests over the past 17 years with C&Cs. The commission has settled almost all multistate corporate protests in the past year in this manner.” Sen. Brent Hill, CPA: “If you had the Tax Commission going after cases on the grounds of principle regardless of how much money was involved or how much time it would take in court we’d be sitting here talking about taxpayer harassment, inappropriate use of taxpayer funds in pursuing these cases and poor management.” Miller, AP in the Statesman. Full report (via Statesman).