The following words and phrases, when used in
this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
ASSOCIATION
A partnership, limited partnership or any other incorporated
group of two or more persons.
BUSINESS
An enterprise, activity, profession or any other undertaking
of an unincorporated nature conducted for profit or ordinarily conducted
for profit, whether by a person, partnership, association or any other
entity.
CORPORATION
A corporation or joint-stock association organized under
the laws of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or
any other state, territory, foreign country or dependency.
DOMICILE
The place where one lives and has his permanent home and
to which he has the intention of returning whenever he is absent.
Actual residence in not necessarily domicile, for domicile is the
fixed place of abode which, in the intention of the taxpayer, is permanent
rather than transitory. Domicile is the voluntary fixed place of habitation
of a person, not for a mere special or limited purpose but with the
present intention of making a permanent home until some event occurs
to induce him to adopt some other permanent home. In the case of businesses
or associations, the domicile is that place considered as the center
of business affairs and the place where its functions are discharged.
EARNED INCOME
Salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, incentive payments,
fees, tips and other compensation received by a person or his personal
representative for services rendered, whether directly or through
an agent and whether in cash or in property; not including, however,
wages or compensation paid to persons on active military service,
periodic payments for sickness and disability other than regular wages
received during a period of sickness, disability or retirement or
payments arising under workmen's compensation acts, occupational disease
acts and similar legislation, or payments commonly recognized as old-age
benefits, retirement pay or pensions paid to persons retired from
service after reaching a specific age or after a stated period of
employment, or payments commonly known as public assistance or unemployment
compensation payments by governmental agencies or payments to reimburse
expenses or payments made by employers or labor unions for wage and
salary supplemental programs, including, but not limited to, programs
covering hospitalization, sickness, disability or death, supplemental
unemployment benefits, strike benefits, social security and retirement.
EMPLOYER
A person, partnership, association, corporation, institution,
governmental body or unit or agency or any other entity employing
one or more persons for a salary, wage, commission or other compensation.
INCOME TAX COLLECTOR or COLLECTOR
Person, public employee or private agency designated by the
Township to collect and administer the tax on earned income and net
profits.
NET PROFITS
The net income from the operation of a business, profession
or other activity, except corporations, after provision for all costs
and expenses incurred in the conduct thereof, determined either on
a cash or accrual basis in accordance with the accounting system used
in such business, profession or other activity but without deduction
of taxes based on income.
NONRESIDENT
A person, partnership, association or other entity domiciled
outside Lower Pottsgrove Township.
RESIDENT
A person, partnership, association or any other entity domiciled
in the Township of Lower Pottsgrove.
TAXPAYER
A person, partnership, association or any other entity required
hereunder to file a return of earned income or net profits or to pay
a tax thereon.
The Income Tax Collector shall receive such
compensation for his services and expenses as determined from time
to time by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Pottsgrove.
[Amended 3-23-1995 by Ord. No. 192]
A. Any person who fails, neglects or refuses to make
any declaration or return required by this article; any employer who
fails, neglects or refuses to register or to pay the tax deducted
from his employees or fails, neglects or refuses to deduct or withhold
the tax from his employees; any person who refuses to permit the Collector
or any agent designated by him to examine his books, records and papers
and any person who knowingly makes any incomplete, false or fraudulent
return or attempts to do anything whatsoever to avoid the full disclosure
of the amount of his net profits or earned income in order to avoid
the payment of the whole or any part of the tax imposed by this article
shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not
more than $500 for each offense and costs and, in default of payment
of said fine and costs, shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding
30 days.
B. Any person who divulges any information which is confidential
under the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof,
be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $500 for each offense
and costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, shall
be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 30 days.
C. The penalties imposed under this section shall be
in addition to any other penalty imposed by any other section of this
article.
D. The failure of any person to receive or procure forms
required for making the declaration or returns required by this article
shall not excuse him from making any declaration or return.
[Amended 3-23-1995 by Ord. No. 192]
The Earned Income Tax Collector shall demand,
receive and collect from all corporations, political subdivisions,
associations, companies, firms or individuals employing persons owing
delinquent earned income taxes or whose spouse owes delinquent earned
income taxes, upon the presentation of a written notice in demand
under oath or affirmation containing the name of the taxable or the
spouse thereof and the amount of tax due. Upon the presentation of
such written notice and demand, it shall be the duty of any corporation,
political subdivision, association, company, firm or individual to
collect from the wages, commissions or earnings of such individual
employees then owing or that shall within 60 days thereafter become
due or from any unpaid commissions or earnings of any such taxable
in its or his possession or that shall, within 60 days thereafter,
come into its or his possession, a sum sufficient to pay the respective
amount of the delinquent earned income taxes and costs shown upon
the written notice or demand, and to pay the same to the Earned Income
Tax Collector of the Township of Lower Pottsgrove within 60 days after
such notice shall have been given. Such corporation, political subdivision,
association, firm or individual shall be entitled to deduct from the
moneys collected from each employee the costs incurred from the extra
bookkeeping necessary to record such transactions, not exceeding 2%
of the amount of money so collected and paid over to the Earned Income
Tax Collector. Upon the failure of any such corporation, political
subdivision, association, company, firm or individual to deduct the
amount of such taxes or to pay the same over to the Earned Income
Tax Collector, less the cost of bookkeeping involved in such transaction,
as above provided, within the time hereby required, such corporation,
political subdivision, association, company, firm or individual shall
forfeit and pay the amount of such tax, for each such taxable whose
taxes are not withheld and not paid over, together with a penalty
of 10% added thereto, to be recovered by an action of assumpsit in
a suit to be instituted by the Earned Income Tax Collector or by the
proper authorities of the Township of Lower Pottsgrove as debts of
like amount are now by law recoverable, except that such person shall
not have the benefit of any stay of execution or exemption law.
Upon presentation of a written notice and demand
under oath or affirmation to the State Treasurer or any other fiscal
officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or its boards, authorities,
agencies or commissions it shall be the duty of the Treasurer or collector
to deduct from the wages then owing or that shall within 60 days thereafter
become due to any employee a sum sufficient to pay the respective
amount of the delinquent earned income taxes and costs shown on the
written notice. The same shall be paid to the Earned Income Tax Collector
of the Township of Lower Pottsgrove within 60 days after such notice
shall have been given.
The Township of Lower Pottsgrove, in accordance
with the authority granted it by § 21 of the Act of December
31, 1965, No. 511, known as "the Local Tax Enabling Act," shall have
the power to collect unpaid earned income taxes from the persons owing
such taxes by suit in assumpsit or other appropriate remedy. Upon
each such judgment, execution may be issued without any stay or benefit
of any exemption law.
This article shall take effect January 1, 1985,
and for each Township fiscal year thereafter, and this article shall
be read and construed accordingly.