The Borough Tax Collector or any other person designated by
the Borough Council of the Borough of Masontown for the purpose is
hereby authorized to examine any of the books, papers and records
of any employer or supposed employer or of any taxpayer or supposed
taxpayer in order to verify the accuracy of any return made or, if
no return is made, to ascertain the amount of tax due by any person
under this article. Every such employer or supposed employer or taxpayer
or supposed taxpayer is hereby directed and required to give to the
Borough Tax Collector or such other authorized person the means, facilities
and opportunity for such examinations and investigations as are hereby
authorized. The Borough Tax Collector is hereby authorized to examine
any person under oath concerning any income which was or should have
been returned for taxation, and to this end the Borough Council may
compel the production of books, records and papers and the attendance
of all persons before such Borough Tax Collector, whether as parties
or as witnesses, whom the Borough Tax Collector believes to have knowledge
of such income.
Any information gained by the Borough Tax Collector or any other
official or agent of the Borough as a result of any return, investigation,
hearing or verification required or authorized by this article shall
be confidential, except for official purposes and except in accordance
with proper judicial order or as otherwise provided by law. Any disclosure
of any such information, contrary to the provisions of this section,
shall constitute a violation of this article.
All taxes imposed under this article remaining unpaid after
they shall have become due shall bear interest in addition to the
amount of the unpaid tax at the rate of 6% per annum, and the person
against whom such tax is imposed shall be further liable to a penalty
of 1/2 of 1% of the amount of the unpaid tax for each month or fraction
of a month for the first six months of nonpayment.
All taxes imposed by this article, together with all penalties,
interest and costs, shall be recoverable by the Borough Solicitor
as debts of like amount are by law recoverable.
[Amended 6-9-1987 by Ord. No. 1987-1, approved 6-9-1987]
Any person convicted before any District Justice of violating
any of the provisions or requirements of this article, or of failing,
neglecting or refusing to pay any tax, penalties or interest imposed
under this article; or of refusing to permit the Borough Tax Collector
or any other person to examine any of his books, papers or records;
or of knowingly making any incomplete, false or fraudulent return
or of doing or attempting to do anything whatever to avoid the payment
of the whole or any part of the tax imposed under this article, shall
be liable to a fine or penalty not exceeding $300 and costs of prosecution
for each and every offense and, in default of payment of such fine
and costs, to imprisonment for not more than 30 days; provided, however,
that if the District Justice determines that the defendant is without
the financial means to pay the fines and costs immediately or in a
single remittance, such defendant shall be permitted to pay the fines
or costs in installments and over such periods of time as the District
Justice deems to be just.
All expenses incurred in the administration of this article
shall be paid by the Borough.
This article shall not apply to any person or property on whom
or which it is beyond the legal power of the Borough Council to impose
tax or duties herein provided for.
This article shall go into effect on the first day of January
1970, and the tax levied hereunder shall be imposed for one year.