Court decision could open big hole in state revenues
A state judge’s ruling to exempt oil and gas companies from paying sales taxes on extraction equipment could cost the state billions in revenue, according to media reports.
State District Judge John Dietz ruled last week that Southwest Royalties Inc., which is tied to former gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams, should be exempt from paying sales taxes for manufacturing equipment, according to an Austin American Statesman story.
Dietz has not issued a written order on the case so it is unclear the full implication of his decision. He could narrowly tailor the exemption or approve sweeping changes, the newspaper reported.
“We can look at the clouds and we know there is rain there, we just don’t know how many inches,” Dale Craymer, president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, told the Statesman.
State officials said an appeal is likely.
According to a Texas Energy Report story, Texas could owe oil companies more than $2 billion in refunds with interest and millions in revenue could be loses due to the decision.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/04/16/court-decision-could-open-big-hole-in-state-revenues/
= new reply since forum marked as read
Is like Mitt Romney. Never having to pay the consequences. Exempt from taxes, cutting corners and never really playing by the common rules. They think they are above everyone else because they deserve it.
Doesn't matter if the law was expressly written wrong or just implemented wrong, either way the right thing to do is for those industries to pay sales tax on extraction equipment. They don't need any kind of tax break - they need to fully participate in funding schools in Texas.
Does it surprise me that Clayton Williams (relax and enjoy it rape joke) is in the middle of this obscene court case to avoid paying taxes? No of course not. 
During the campaign, Williams publicly made a joke likening rape to bad weather, having quipped: "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it"