§ 7-35. Local business tax based on amount of capital, value of stock, number of employees.

(a)

In all cases where the amount required to be paid for a local business tax depends upon the amount of capital invested, or value of goods or stock, or property used in the business, or number of employees, during a given year or period, it shall be the duty of the person applying for such local business tax receipt to file with the code enforcement division a sworn statement as to the required information and such other proof, including insurance carried, as may be required by this article. The applicant shall be bound to submit for inspection and examination by the code enforcement division either before or after the local business tax receipt is issued, returns showing the number of employees, as herein defined, during the last local business tax period, inventories last taken, stock books, or amount of capital invested, or the value of stock or goods, wares and merchandise or other property carried or used in such business. Where inventories are required, a business obtaining a local business tax receipt for the first time shall provide evidence of the cost of the business' inventory at the time the business opens. A business obtaining a local business tax receipt shall provide evidence of the business' annual average inventory cost.

(b)

The code enforcement division is authorized to propound interrogatories and to furnish forms for the filing of such returns and to request the giving of any information necessary to determine the proper amount of local business tax due, and the code enforcement division is authorized at any time during the local business tax year to make such investigation and inspection of the places of business and records of the persons required to pay the local business tax in order to verify any returns or to determine the proper amount of the local business tax.

(c)

Any person who is both a wholesale and retail merchant as defined herein, is required to make separate reports for the wholesale business, and for the retail business and to obtain local business tax receipt(s) accordingly.

(d)

Firms operating what are known as warehouses (no sale) from which they furnish and replenish their stores, are required to obtain a separate storage local business tax receipt for each distributing house or place in the city operated for the purpose of distributing goods, wares, and merchandise among his, her, or its retail stores. Any classified warehouse or storage depot conducting merchandise sales must secure a proper local business tax receipt in the classification which applied to the operation.

(e)

Where it is required in this article that a local business tax be based upon the number of employees of the business, it shall be in addition to any other local business tax paid under any other classification for the purpose of classification of local business tax payers.

(Code 1972, § 11-5; Ord. No. 76-J, § 2(11-5), 7-5-90; Ord. No. 76-07-A, § 22, 9-11-07)