NTEA Counsel Returns To Address Excise Tax Issues

Jan. 1, 2001
THE world of federal excise taxes is always changing. That's why Mark Sidman returns this year to lead another session.Sidman, a partner in the Washington

THE world of federal excise taxes is always changing. That's why Mark Sidman returns this year to lead another session.

Sidman, a partner in the Washington DC law firm of Weiner, Brodsky, Sidman & Kider, has been legal counsel to the NTEA since 1983 and has represented truck equipment companies in excise tax matters. He is expected to be joined by IRS agent Bob Cirilli, a Pennsylvania-based excise tax specialist, for the session on Wednesday, Feb 28, from 3 to 4:15 pm.

"What I try to do is find things where the IRS is off the wall, and he (Cirilli) defends the IRS position," Sidman says. "We try to take controversial excise tax issues and present the IRS view and the industry view, and come up with practical advice for members."

Sidman had not crystallized the subject of his presentation at press time, but expects to address the IRS' decision to rescind a series of private letter rulings that deal with crane and aerial devices.

As NTEA's legal counsel, he is largely responsible to the association for analyzing the impact of legislation and regulation on the truck equipment industry.

He is a specialist in federal excise tax and has written extensively on the subject. He has conducted numerous tax seminars for various segments of the trade and truck equipment industry. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

There are several NTEA publications that assist members with understanding the federal excise tax (FET). The NTEA's Excise Tax Quarterly reviews FET issues and pertinent IRS activities, and the monthly Excise Tax Enquirer answers members' questions on specific FET applications.

The Quarterly provides a review of IRS releases and court cases concerning federal excise tax on motor vehicles and includes highlights as well as a discussion of each item with background and NTEA comments. (NTEA members receive one copy of this item in their New Member Kit or upon publication. Additional copies are available: The price per issue is $4 for members and $8 for nonmembers. For an annual subscription, it's $16 for members and $32 for nonmembers.)

NTEA staff engineers also answer members' questions on FET matters based on current IRS rulings via a toll-free member service hotline, 1-800-441-NTEA (6832), fax (248) 489-8590 and e-mail ([email protected]).

The NTEA's comprehensive FET Manual features more than 800 indexed pages of excise tax reference material, discussions, and regulations. It is a compilation of all NTEA FET Bulletins, Quarterlies and Enquirers published since the new retail excise tax took effect on April 1, 1982, arranged in chronological order and indexed according to subject matter (in NTEA 3-ring binder) for easy reference. The price is $95 for members and $250 for nonmembers.

About the Author

Rick Weber | Associate Editor

Rick Weber has been an associate editor for Trailer/Body Builders since February 2000. A national award-winning sportswriter, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Fort Myers News-Press following service with publications in California and Australia. He is a graduate of Penn State University.