[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. nos. 2030 and 2031 were passed in compliance with HB209 of the 2006 Missouri Legislative session. Provisions contained in HB209 were subsequently deemed unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court on August 8, 2006 in City of Springfield, Appellant V Sprint Spectrum, L.P., Respondent Case No. SC87238. Consequently these ordinances were not codified.
[Code 1964, § 15-41; Ord. No. 803, § 1, 9-16-1971; Ord. No. 1018, §§ 1, 2, 6-7-1977; Ord. No. 1022, § 1, 7-1-1977; Ord. No. 1195, § 2, 11-18-1982; Ord. No. 1206, § 1, 4-21-1983; Ord. No. 1310, § 1, 5-15-1986; Ord. No. 1672, § 1, 10-5-1995; Ord. No. 2192 § 1, 9-1-2011]
(a) 
There is hereby levied upon all persons now or hereafter engaged in the business of furnishing or supplying electricity, electrical service or power, gas or gas service, telephones or telephone service, or water or water service, within the city, a monthly license or occupational tax based on the gross receipts derived from the carrying on of such business within the city in the amounts hereinafter set forth. The term "gross receipts", as used in this article, means the aggregate amount of all sales and charges from the business of furnishing or supplying electricity, electrical service or power, gas or gas service, telephones or telephone service, or water or water service during any period, less discounts, credits, refunds, sales taxes and uncollectible accounts.
(b) 
The amount of the tax shall be seven and forty-one hundredths (7.41) percent on the gross receipts of the company on all sales to residential consumers, and seven and forty-one hundredths (7.41) percent on the gross receipts of the company on all sales or services to non-residential consumers. Provided, however, that the board of aldermen may, by ordinance, from time to time, suspend collection of all or any portion of the tax levied hereby on sales to either residential or non-residential consumers, or both, when and if the board determines that the city's financial position so warrants.
(c) 
In accord with the provisions of Section 393.275.2, RSMo., 2000, and any successive similar legislation, the City will maintain the tax rate of its business license tax on the gross receipts of utility corporations as provided herein or as may be revised by the Board of Aldermen from time to time regardless of tariff or rate actions of the Missouri Public Service Commission.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 1695, §§ 1 — 4, adopted May 16, 1996, effective July 1, 1996, reduced the rate of the gross receipts tax levy from 7.41 percent to 5 percent for both residential and nonresidential consumers. Ord. No. 1695 further provided that said tax reduction remain in effect until repealed by action of the board of aldermen.
Subsequently, Ord. No. 1788, §§ 1, 2, adopted September 3, 1998, effective October 1, 1998, reduced the rate of the gross receipts tax levy from 7.41 percent to 4 percent for residential customers. Ord. No. 1788 further provided that said tax reduction remain in effect until repealed by action of the board of aldermen.
Subsequently, Ord. No. 2087, § 1, adopted July 3, 2008, effective September 3, 2008 hereby temporarily terminates the suspension of collection of portions of the rate of the license tax on sales of utility services to consumers in the City and requires that all licensees pay the full authorized rate of seven and forty-one hundredths percent (7.41%) for all services rendered to any and all customers within the City on or after the effective date stated above.
[Code 1964, § 15-42; Ord. No. 803, § 2, 9-16-1971; Ord. No. 1018, § 3, 6-2-1977; Ord. No. 1083, § 3, 5-17-1979; Ord. No. 1195, § 2, 11-18-1982; Ord. No. 1206, § 2, 4-21-1983; Ord. No. 1672, § 1, 10-5-1995]
It shall be the duty of every person engaged in any of the businesses described in this article to file with the city collector on or before the last day of each month a sworn statement showing the gross receipts derived from the transaction of such business in the city during the previous calendar month, setting forth separately receipts derived from residential and non-residential consumers, and at such times, pay to the city collector the tax thereon as hereinabove set forth at the rate set forth in the preceding section or at such rate as may be otherwise determined by the board of aldermen from time to time in accord with the provisions of subsection 2 of section 15-216 above. The license granted on the payment of such tax shall be issued to cover the next ensuing calendar month.
[Code 1964, § 15-43]
The city collector or any auditor employed by the city is hereby authorized to investigate the correctness and accuracy of any statement filed pursuant to this article and for that purpose shall have access at all reasonable times to the books, documents, papers and records of any person making such return in order to ascertain the accuracy thereof.
[Code 1964, § 15-44]
The license tax imposed by this article shall be in lieu of any other occupational or license tax required of any person engaged in any of the businesses described in this article but nothing contained in this article shall be construed to exempt any such person from the payment to the city of the tax which the city levies upon the real or personal property belonging to any such person, nor the tax required of merchants or manufacturers, if any, for the sale of anything other than the commodity or service herein specified, nor shall the license tax required by this article exempt any such person from the payment of any tax which may be lawfully required other than an occupational or license tax.
[Ord. No. 822, § 1(4B), 4-6-1972]
Insofar as this article pertains to firms or corporations engaged in the business of supplying telephone service, wherever the term telephone, telephone service or such business is used, it is meant to mean firms or corporations engaged in the business of furnishing exchange telephone service within the city.
[Ord. No. 822, § 1(4B), 4-6-1972]
All persons mentioned in section 15-216 of this article on the request of any person shall remove or raise wires to accommodate bulky structures. The expense of such temporary removal, raising, or lowering of wires shall be paid by the party or parties requesting such raising or lowering of wires, and payment in advance may be required. Not less than forty-eight (48) hours' advance notice shall be given to arrange for such temporary wire changes.
[Ord. No. 822, § 1(4C), 4-6-1972]
The right is hereby granted to all persons mentioned in section 15-216 of this article to trim trees, brush or hedges upon and overhanging the streets, alleys, sidewalks and public places of the city so as to prevent such foliage from coming in contact with telephone wires and cables, all of such trimming to be done by such parties under the supervision and direction of the governing body of the city or of any city official to whom such duties have been or may be delegated.