MASON LUMBER COMPANY, ET AL.,
v.
J. M. LEE, AS COMPTROLLER, ET AL.
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Mason Lumber Company appealed a trial court decision denying an injunction against a 1935 Florida gross receipts tax on retail lumber sales, but granting an injunction against application of the tax to bulk sales of materials to construction contractors. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed, holding that retail lumber yard operations are taxable under the statute, but bulk sales to contractors for construction purposes do not constitute retail sales.
The court affirmed that retail lumber yard operations fall within the statutory definition of 'retailer' and are properly subject to the gross receipts tax, but held that bulk sales to contractors for construction purposes do not constitute retail sales within the purview of the tax statute and are therefore not taxable.
“A retail lumber yard operation is within the statutory language of Chapter 16848, supra, in its definition of a 'retailer' as defined by Section 2 of the Act, so the injunction against the enforcement of the taxes levied by Subdivision A of Section 4 of said Chapter was properly denied.”
Establishes that retail lumber operations are properly subject to the gross receipts tax under the statute
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceMason Lumber Company operated retail lumber yards in Florida and was assessed taxes under Chapter 16848, Acts 1935. The company sold lumber and buildi…
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Appellants, who are engaged in the operation of retail lumber yards in the State of Florida, were denied an injunction against the enforcement of the taxes prescribed by Subdivision A of Section 4 of Chapter 16848, Acts 1935, but were granted an injunction against the enforcement of the “gross receipts” tax provisions of Class 1 of Subdivision B of Chapter 16848, Acts' of 1935, as attempted to be applied to sales of lumber and building material when made by the appellants to independent contractors who in turn transferred such lumber and materials *373purchased from appellants to property owners in the course of their performance of construction contracts with such owners, the Chancellor certifying with respect to the latter class of sales transactions that he was of the opinion that such bulk sales to contractors' for construction purposes, under the circumstances above outlined, aré not retail sales of lumber and building materials within the purview of the “gross receipts” tax provisions of the 1935 Act.
A retail lumber yard operation is within the statutory language of Chapter 16848, supra, in its definition of a “retailer” as defined by Section 2 of the Act, so the injunction against the enforcement of the taxes levied by Subdivision A of Section 4 of said Chapter was properly denied.
Bulk sales of lumber and building materials to contractors who in turn transfer such lumber and building materials to property owners in the course of executing construction contracts calling for the performance of work and the furnishing of materials to achieve the completed structure to be turned over by the contractor in the consummation of his construction contract, were properly held by the Chancellor not to constitute “retail” sales within the purview of the definition of such sales as contained in the Act, so the injuunction with respect thereto was properly granted.
The decree upholding the constitutionality of Chapter 16848, Acts 1935, as to the taxes provided in Subdivision A and Class 1 of Subdivision B of Section 4 of the Act, was not erroneous for the reasons pointed out in our opinion in the case of Dunlop Tire and Rubber Co. v. Lee, 126 Fla. 369, 171 Sou. Rep. 331, and cases cited therein.
Suits prosecuted under Chapter 8586, Acts of 1921, to •test the legality of taxes, assessments, or tolls, are maintainable .solely against the enforcement officer charged with *374the responsibility for the collection of the taxes involved, without the necessity of joining any other party. Where the Comptroller is made by statute the enforcement' officer with reference to a special tax, suits against him brought under Chapter 8586, Acts 1921, supra, Sections 1038-1040 C. G. L. are maintainable against him only in Leon County, the place of the Comptroller’s official residence, unless he shall waive the point of venue by failing to insist upon it, or unless some attempt to seize and sell property to satisfy the disputed tax has been, actually initiated in the county where the suit is otherwise instituted. However, we have treated the filing by the Comptroller of cross-assignments of error in this case as amounting to a waiver of the point of venue raised on this appeal.
Affirmed.
Whitfield, C. J., and Terrell, Brown and Buford, J. J., concur.
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Williams v. City OF Lake City, 62 So. 2d 732 (Fla. 1953)…this State has been to require that its State officials and boards be sued in Leon County, the county of their official residence, unless such privilege is waived. See State ex rel. Ayala v. Knott, 148 Fla. 43, 3 So. 2d 522; Mason Lumber Co. v. Lee, 126 Fla. 371, 171 So. 332; Game and Fresh Water Fish Comm. v. Williams, 158 Fla. 369, 28 So. 2d 431. 1 Also of interest is that Section 47.20, F. S.A., providing for service of process on a municipal corporation contains a provision that service on a municipal…
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Lee v. The Cloverleaf, Inc., 130 Fla. 435 (Fla. 1937)…ording to the accommodations or cus [*439] tomers served. We find no purpose to repeal this tax and cannot think of the objects taxed as subject to both taxes. This holding is not opposed to what we held in Mason Lumber Company v. Lee, Comptroller, 126 Fla. 371, 171 So. 332, and Liggett Drug Co. v. Lee, Comptroller, 126 Fla. 359, 171 So. 326, relied on by Appellant. These cases were disposed of on the theory that the complaining parties were the operators of retail stores under the same management as conte…
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State of Fla. ex rel. Gabe F. Ayala v. Knott, 148 Fla. 43 (Fla. 1941)…rom performing those functions required of him by the statute, supra, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. The circuit court held with this contention, relying [*47] apparently upon our opinion anci judgment in the case of Mason Lumber Co. v. Lee, 126 Fla. 371, 171 Sou. 332, and like cases. In this the circuit court was without error. If the question had been merely, “Whether or not the Insurance Commissioner was authorized to hold a hearing for the purpose of examining the insurance agent and such witne…
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- Dunlop Tire & Rubber Co. v. Lee, 126 Fla. 369 (Fla. 1936)