A comprehensive guide to state and local taxes.

Dear Colleague:

The Institute's State and Local Tax Committee has completed plans for TEl Education Fund's 2003 State and Local Tax Course. This year's course will be held from April 27 to May 2 on the campus of Michigan State University. Michigan State University offers an ideal setting to explore the fundamentals of state taxation and the latest developments in income, franchise, sales and use, and other state and local taxation.

The five-day State and Local Tax Course has been modified--based on input received from students and faculty--to improve the structure and flow of the course. This year's course will, as always, feature presentations from highly qualified private practitioners and seasoned tax executives, and will focus on the practical. State tax implications of electronic commerce will now be integrated into the regular curriculum, however, a reflection of how e-commerce now permeates even the most routine matters. Following a context-setting session on the constitutional limitations on state tax jurisdiction, students will participate in three different workshops, one on sales and use taxation (including e-commerce issues and developments such as the Streamlined Sales Tax Project), a second on income and franchise taxation, and third on tax compliance and controversies.

The workshops will begin with interactive lectures laying out a foundation of basic knowledge concerning such key concepts as nexus, allocation and apportionment, combination, and filing methodologies. Following will be breakout sessions where the students apply the concepts by working through a series of real-world examples. The course will culminate in the mock appellate hearing that promises to be both informative and entertaining. We will also hold sessions on gross receipts, capital, and property taxation, as well as on professionalism and ethics, acquisitions and corporate restructurings, and the effective use of the state legislative process.

Upon reviewing this brochure, you will agree that the planning committee has done an excellent job of fine-tuning the State and Local Tax Course to serve the needs of the in-house tax professional. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and only a limited number of registrants can be accepted. To ensure your participation, or that of a member of your staff, please register early.

Sincerely yours,

J.A. (Drew) Glennie President, TEI Education Fund