Wetumpka to join counties and cities in lawsuit protecting simplified seller use tax

The Wetumpka City Council voted to authorize the city to intervene as a defendant in litigation challenging Alabama’s ‘‘simplified seller use tax’’ statute. The resolution was introduced and passed at the work session after staff described the suit and recommended joining other local governments.

Speaker 2 explained that the cities of Tuscaloosa and Mountain Brook filed suit against the Alabama Department of Revenue, arguing aspects of how online sales tax is collected and distributed. Speaker 2 said the county association is funding the legal effort to keep the statute in place and that the city would be represented by counsel in Montgomery at no direct cost to Wetumpka. Staff advised the council that, while some municipalities might receive slightly different revenue under a change, Wetumpka is already budgeting and depending on revenue under the current statute and that losing it could create collection uncertainty.

A motion to adopt resolution 2025-12-1-1 was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. The council recorded no opposition during the vote.