ARGA Co. v. Tracy
ARGA Co. v. Tracy
Opinion of the Court
In Lyden Co. v. Tracy (1996), 76 Ohio St.3d 66, 666 N.E.2d 556, decided this date, we held: “For purposes of R.C. 5739.16(B), an administrative rule adopted by the Tax Commissioner remains ‘in full force and effect’ until the commissioner rescinds it or a court specifically declares it invalid as being contrary to statute or unreasonable.” Id. at syllabus.
In the case at bar, the commissioner’s rule, codified as Ohio Adm.Code 5703-9-14, justified the conclusion during the audit period that construction of the pits and foundations constituted the installation of personal property. Under that rule, the specified materials benefited the newspaper publishing business and not the land, and, thus, remained personal property. Under the rule, ARGA was not a consumer required to pay the tax, as originally acknowledged by the commissioner’s own tax agent.
The decision of the BTA is reversed.
Decision reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.