The Collector of Taxes shall annually furnish
to each department, board, commission or division of the City, herein
referred to as the "licensing authority," that issues licenses or
permits, including renewals and transfers, a list of any person, corporation,
or business enterprise, hereinafter referred to as the "party," that
has neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees, assessments,
betterments or any other municipal charge for not less than a twelve-month
period and that such party has not filed in good faith a pending application
for an abatement of such tax or a pending application before the Appellate
Tax Board.
[Amended 6-13-2000 by Bill No. 2000-108]
The licensing authority may deny, revoke or
suspend any license or permit, including renewals and transfers, of
any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing
authority from the Collector of Taxes or with respect to any activity,
event or other matter which is the subject of such license or permit
and which activity, event or matter is carried out or exercised or
is to be carried out or exercised on or about real estate owned by
any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing
authority from the Collector of Taxes; provided, however, that written
notice is given to the party and the Collector of Taxes as required
by applicable provisions of law and the party is given a hearing,
to be held not earlier than 14 days after said notice. Said list shall
be prima facie evidence for denial, revocation or suspension of said
license or permit to any party. The Collector of Taxes shall have
the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to such
license denial, revocation or suspension. Any finding made by the
licensing authority with respect to such license denial, revocation
or suspension shall be made only for the purposes of such proceeding
and shall not be relevant to or introduced in any other proceeding
at law, except for any appeal from such license denial, revocation
or suspension. Any license or permit denied, suspended or revoked
under this section shall not be reissued or renewed until the license
authority receives a certificate issued by the Collector of Taxes
that the party is in good standing with respect to any and all local
taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal charges payable
to the municipality as the date of issuance of said certificate.
Any party shall be given an opportunity to enter
into a payment agreement, thereby allowing the licensing authority
to issue a certificate indicating said limitations to the license
or permit, and the validity of said license shall be conditioned upon
the satisfactory compliance with said agreement. Failure to comply
with said agreement shall be grounds for the suspension or revocation
of said license or permit; provided, however, that the holder shall
be given notice and a hearing as required by applicable sections of
law.
The Municipal Council may waive such denial,
suspension or revocation if it finds there is no direct or indirect
business interest by the property owner, its officers or stockholders,
if any, or members of his immediate family, as defined in MGL c. 268A,
§ 1, relating to conflict or interest in the business or
activity conducted in or on said property.
This chapter shall not apply to the following
licenses and permits: open burning permits, bicycle permits, sale
of articles for charitable purposes, children at work permits, dog
licenses, fishing licenses, hunting licenses, trapping licenses, marriage
licenses and public exhibition permits.