Retailer Accused Of Improper Tax Charges

 HARTFORD (AP) — Customers at The Home Depot were improperly charged sales tax on tax-exempt energy conservation products, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Tuesday.

He asked the Atlanta-based home improvement retailer to provide refunds to Connecticut consumers who were charged the sales taxes after November 25, 2005, when a temporary tax holiday took effect for several energy efficient products.

The Home Depot responded Tuesday that it is investigating Blumenthal’s allegations and “will take any necessary corrective measures,” including refunding the sales tax on exempt items for customers who return to the stores with a receipt showing the charge.

After receiving complaints from customers, investigators from Blumenthal’s office visited the home-improvement store and purchased several items for which they were improperly charged the sales tax, Blumenthal said.

“What we’re really urging is that the company determine why the sales charge was improperly charged and correct the problem,” Blumenthal said. “Was it inadvertently charged or a willful violation of the law? At this point our hope and theory is that the company was careless or inadvertent and simply needs to update equipment, computers or better train their personnel.”

Like other retailers, The Home Depot turns over the sales tax to the state and therefore does not receive a financial benefit from collecting the tax, company officials said in a statement.

The sales tax break, which extends through April 1, applies to items such as programmable thermostats, window film, special caulking, weather stripping, water heater blankets, water heaters, insulation, natural gas furnaces and windows that meet the federal Energy Star standard.

Lawmakers approved the tax holiday in October to provide consumers some relief from rising energy costs.