HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000 - Taxation of Leases® BELLSOUTH
BellSouth Cellular Corp.
1100 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-4599
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Florida State Bill 1338 which became effective 7/1/00 addresses the issue of taxation on lease or
rental of real property. Section 212.031(1)(5) of the bill was amended to clarify that certain land
leases are exempt from sales tax. Subparagraph (5) of section 212.031(1) clearly states that the
exception for taxation applies to property, wherever located, on which the following are placed:
towers, antennas, cables, accessory structures, or equipment used in the provision of mobile
communication services.
Based on the above, BellSouth Cellular Corporation takes the position that it is correct to exclude
sales and use taxes on both land leases for towers and roof top leases for antennas. If you would
Re to discuss this matter further, please contact Stan Robinson at (678) 320-7185 or Robert
Landau at (404) 249-3628.
Sincerely,
Stan Robinson
Assistant Controller — Tax Services
BellSouth Cellular Corporation
Robert Landau
Senior Tax Manager
BellSouth
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TO:
Florida Lessors
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FROM:
BellSouth Cellular Corporation
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SUBJECT:
Taxation of leases
DATE:
July 7, 2000
Florida State Bill 1338 which became effective 7/1/00 addresses the issue of taxation on lease or
rental of real property. Section 212.031(1)(5) of the bill was amended to clarify that certain land
leases are exempt from sales tax. Subparagraph (5) of section 212.031(1) clearly states that the
exception for taxation applies to property, wherever located, on which the following are placed:
towers, antennas, cables, accessory structures, or equipment used in the provision of mobile
communication services.
Based on the above, BellSouth Cellular Corporation takes the position that it is correct to exclude
sales and use taxes on both land leases for towers and roof top leases for antennas. If you would
Re to discuss this matter further, please contact Stan Robinson at (678) 320-7185 or Robert
Landau at (404) 249-3628.
Sincerely,
Stan Robinson
Assistant Controller — Tax Services
BellSouth Cellular Corporation
Robert Landau
Senior Tax Manager
BellSouth
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212 031 Lease or rental of or license in real property
(1)(a) It is declared to be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a taxable privilege who
engages in the business of renting, leasing, letting, or granting a license for the use of any real property
unless such property is:
1. Assessed as agricultural property under s. 193.461.
2. Used exclusively as dwelling units.
3. Property subject to tax on parking, docking, or storage spaces under s. 212.03(6).
4. Recreational property or the common elements of a condominium when subject to a lease between the
developer or owner thereof and the condominium association in its own right or as agent for the owners of
individual condominium units or the owners of individual condominium units. However, only the lease
payments on such property shall be exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter, and any other use made
by the owner or the condominium association shall be fully taxable under this chapter.
5. A public or private street or right-of-way and poles, conduits, fixtures, and similar improvements located
on such streets or rights-of-way, occupied or used by a utility or franchised cable television company for
utility or communications or television purposes. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "utility"
means any person providing utility services as defined in s. 203.012. This exception also applies to
property, excluding-buildi�hlocated, on which -antennas, cables-, adjacent accessory structures,
or adjacent accessory equipment used in the provision of cellular, enhanced specialized mobile radio, or—
Wsonel. communications services are placed -
6. A public street or road which is used for transportation purposes.
7. Property used at an airport exclusively for the purpose of aircraft landing or aircraft taxiing or property
used by an airline for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers or property onto or from aircraft or
for fueling aircraft.
8. a. Property used at a port authority, as defined in s. 315.02(2), exclusively for the purpose of
oceangoing vessels or tugs docking, or such vessels mooring on property used by a port authority for the
purpose of loading or unloading passengers or cargo onto or from such a vessel, or property used at a port
authority for fueling such vessels, or to the extent that the amount paid for the use of any property at the
port is based on the charge for the amount of tonnage actually imported or exported through the port by a
tenant.
b. The amount charged for the use of any property at the port in excess of the amount charged for
tonnage actually imported or exported shall remain subject to tax except as provided in sub -subparagraph
a.