Court Opinion

ID: 9769021
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 14:03:41.698801+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:52.799840
License: Public Domain

Jack Holt, Jr., Chief Justice. Because the appellant, Theodore Jones, failed to report and pay certain state taxes, he received an estimated tax assessment pursuant to an audit by the appellee, Department of Finance and Administration, hereafter called the Department. Jones appealed the assessment through administrative channels and then to chancery court where the chancellor found the final assessments proper. We affirm. Jones operates A-l Auto Salvage. He stopped reporting and paying state income tax in 1976, however, he continued to report and pay state sales taxes through 1981. When the Department attempted to conduct an audit, Jones refused to surrender his records. As a result, the Department filed suit in chancery court for production of the records and the chancellor ordered Jones to deliver. When he refused, Jones was held in contempt and placed in jail. Thereafter, the Department assessed taxes against Jones in an estimated amount of approximately $143,000.00. Jones did not protest the assessments which resulted in the filing of certificates of indebtedness, the issuing of writs of execution, and the seizing of Jones’ property for sale. Prior to the sale, Jones entered an agreement with the Department to produce his records and dismiss the several suits he had pending against the Department. In exchange, the Department agreed to return his property and assess the taxes at the statutory rate instead of by estimates. The Department received Jones’ records and found them to be inadequate and incomplete. The Department estimated assessments of sales, income and withholding taxes in the amount of $16,177.07. Jones protested the assessments and an administrative hearing was held at which time the withholding tax assessments were dismissed because Jones had no employees. The sales and income tax assessments in the amount of $11,490.56 were upheld and Jones appealed to chancery court. Jones returned his sales tax permit, but continued to operate his business. The Department counterclaimed to enjoin Jones from operating his business without a permit. After a lengthy trial, the chancellor affirmed the assessments and enjoined Jones from operating his business. Jones brings this appeal from that decision raising several points for reversal.  The first point Jones raises is the chancellor was wrong in finding the estimated taxes were reasonably assessed. Jones argues there was no cause for the Department to estimate his taxes since he had produced his records. We disagree. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-1907 (Repl. 1980) requires the taxpayer to keep suitable records for tax purposes. If a taxpayer fails to keep suitable records, the Commissioner of Revenues may make an estimated assessment based on the available information. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-4711(d) (Repl. 1980). Jones’ records were not suitable to determine the amount of taxes due. He admitted he did not keep records of sales for resale and barters and he paid sales tax only on money transactions, not barter transactions. One-half the pages in his ticket books were missing and he could only account for a few of the missing pages. As to the income tax assessment, Jones testified that he lived in poverty after his wife retired. When Mrs. Jones testified, she refused to divulge her social security number and her former employer.  In making its assessment, the Department determined Jones’ records did not accurately reflect his business in several ways: 1) one-half the pages in the ticket books were missing; 2) no records were kept to document sales for resales as required by Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-1907; 3) no records of barter transactions, which are taxable sales, were kept. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-1902(c) (Repl. 1980); 4) some duplicate tickets reflected different transactions from the original tickets; 5) Jones’ ownership of valuable real estate; 6) questionable that Jones could live on $1600 annually; 7) a new building on Jones’ property; 8) no evidence that Jones’ wife had any income; 9) Jones ran a cash business; 10) information that Jones had made unreported sales to a Tennennbaum Co.; 11) a $35,000 bank account; and 12) an AP&L meter on Jones’ property which was assigned to another business. Even though the Department conceded some of these enumerated reasons for estimating the taxes were without merit, when taken as a whole, it cannot be said that the chancellor’s finding, that Jones failed to keep adequate records causing the state to estimate his tax assessments is erroneous. We will not reverse the chancellor unless his findings are clearly erroneous. ARCP Rule 52(a). Jones claims the Department’s methods for computing the estimated tax assessments were unreasonable. The Department based the sales tax assessment on the monthly gross sales figure of $2400. The Department reached this figure by determining the taxable sales shown in the ticket books which was $800. Another $800 was added for sales for resales which were wrongfully claimed as exempt. Since one-half of the ticket book pages were missing, another $800 was added to cover any unreported sales. The income tax assessment was based on U.S. Department of Labor statistics since Jones’ records were insufficient. The records showed he earned only $1600 annually for a 25 year period and the Department was skeptical that Jones could live on that amount. Since one-half the sales and all the barter transactions were not recorded, the Department concludes Jones’ income was more than the amount shown in his records. Also, Jones testified stripped cars could be sold for $15-20 each. While utilizing these facts, coupled with an estimate of Jones’ cost of living expenses and Labor Department statistics, Jones’ annual income was estimated at $14,820.  Jones has the burden to refute the reasonableness of the estimated assessments. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-4711 (d). He has failed in this regard, except for the assessment on monthly gross sales of $2,400.00. We cannot find any support in the record for the $800.00 added to gross sales based on sales for resale. To the contrary, the state’s only explanation is that “Well, again we just sort of estimated and used the Eight Hundred Dollar figure, which made the total then Twenty-Four Hundred Dollars per month.” Since this assessment was clearly arbitrary, we reverse the chancellor’s findings to. $ 1,600.00. We find no other error as to the findings for the other estimated assessments.  Jones claims the tax audit should have been limited to three years instead of six years. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-4715(a) (Repl. 1980) provides a three year statute of limitations on audits. Act 401 of 1979 created an exception to this section permitting an audit to extend back six years if the taxpayer understates his taxes by twenty-five percent or more. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 84-4715(e) (Repl. 1980). This act became effective January 1, 1980. Jones argues since part of his taxes became due prior to the adoption of Act 401, the three year statute of limitations should apply because Act 401 cannot be applied retroactively. Ragland v. Travenol Laboratories, Inc., 286 Ark. 33, 689 S.W.2d 349 (1985) . This argument was not raised at trial and we will not consider arguments raising a statute of limitations for the first time on appeal. Hooper v. Ragar, 289 Ark. 152, 711 S.W.2d 148 (1986) . Jones further argues the chancellor erred in quashing the subpoenas of five witnesses because this action violated his constitutional rights. We will not review this argument, because Jones failed to cite any authority to support the argument. Dixon v. State, 260 Ark. 857, 545 S.W.2d 606 (1977).  Jones also contends the chancellor was wrong in finding the Department complied with the agreement with him, and for his argument, attempts to incorporate by reference a brief presented to the lower court which was not abstracted. Since this is improper, we do not reach this issue. Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 9; Zini v. Perciful, 289 Ark. 343, 711 S.W.2d 477 (1986).  Jones lastly argues he was denied his right to the assistance of counsel of his choice. Jones wanted a non-lawyer to sit at his table and assist him during the trial and the chancellor would not allow, it. Only licensed attorneys can represent another person in court. Undem v. State Board of Law Examiners, 266 Ark. 683, 587 S.W.2d 563 (1979). Inasmuch as we have reversed the chancellor’s findings by reducing the assessments on monthly gross sales from $2,400.00 to $1,600.00, it is necessary that this case be remanded for a recalculation of the assessment on gross sales tax. We hereby remand with orders to the chancellor to enter a judgment consistent with this opinion. In all other particulars, we affirm. Hickman and Purtle, JJ., concur in part and dissent in part.