[Adopted 10-28-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-72]
It is the purpose of this article to implement the provisions of P.L. 2003, c. 114, N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 et seq., which authorizes the governing body of a municipality to adopt an ordinance imposing a tax at a uniform percentage rate not to exceed 3% on charges of rent for every occupancy on or after July 1, 2004, of a room or rooms in a hotel or motel subject to taxation pursuant to Subsection (d) of Section 3 of P.L. 1966, c. 30 (N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3), which shall be in addition to any other tax or fee imposed pursuant to statute or local ordinance or resolution by any governmental entity upon the occupancy of a hotel room.
There is hereby established a hotel and motel room occupancy tax in the City of Vineland which shall be fixed at a uniform percentage rate of 3% on charges of rent for every occupancy of a room or rooms in a hotel subject to taxation pursuant to Subsection (d) of Section 3 of P.L. 1966, c. 30, N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3 (sales tax).
The hotel and motel room occupancy tax shall be in addition to any other tax or fee imposed pursuant to statute or local ordinance or resolution by any governmental entity upon the occupancy of a hotel room.
The hotel and motel room occupancy tax authorized herein shall not be imposed on the rent for an occupancy if the purchaser, user or consumer is an entity exempt from the tax imposed on an occupancy under the Sales and Use Tax Act pursuant to Subsection (a) of Section 9 of P.L. 1966, c. 30 (N.J.S.A. 54:32B-9).
In accordance with the requirements of P.L. 2003, c. 114:
A. 
All taxes imposed by this article shall be paid by the purchaser.
B. 
A vendor shall not assume or absorb any tax imposed by this article.
C. 
A vendor shall not in any manner advertise or hold out to any person or to the public in general, in any manner, directly or indirectly, that the tax will be assumed or absorbed by the vendor, that the tax will not be separately charged and stated to the customer, or that the tax will be refunded to the customer.
D. 
Each assumption or absorption by a vendor of the tax shall be deemed a separate offense, and each representation or advertisement by a vendor for each day that the representation or advertisement continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
E. 
The tax imposed by this article shall be collected on behalf of the City by the person collecting the rent from the hotel or motel customer. Each person required to collect the tax herein imposed shall be personally liable for the tax imposed, collected or required to be collected hereunder. Any such person shall have the same right in respect to collecting the tax from a customer as if the tax were a part of the rent and payable at the same time, provided that the Chief Financial Officer of the City shall be joined as a party in any action or proceeding brought to collect the tax.
F. 
The penalty for violation of the foregoing provisions shall be $1,250 for each offense.