The following words and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ASSOCIATION
A partnership, limited partnership or any other unincorporated
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 is 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 place in which a man has voluntarily
fixed the habitation of himself and his family, 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, occupation 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 made by any governmental agency 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 OFFICER or OFFICER
Person, public employee or private agency designated by the
Board of Supervisors of the Township of Nockamixon 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 provisions 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 the Township of Nockamixon.
RESIDENT
A person, partnership, association or other entity domiciled
in the Township of Nockamixon.
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.
TOWNSHIP OF NOCKAMIXON
A duly organized political subdivision of Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, classified and designated as a Township of the second
class and situate in the County of Bucks and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[Added 11-21-2013 by Ord.
No. 151]
A. A tax to be used to acquire interests in real property to protect
and preserve open space, including farmland, water resources and watersheds,
forests, park, recreation or conservation sites, natural or scenic
resources, sites of historic, geologic or botanic interests, and open
spaces between communities, is imposed at a rate of 1/4% (0.25%) on
all earned income received and net profits earned on or after January
1, 2005, by residents of the Township of Nockamixon.
B. This tax shall be applicable to earned income received and to net
profits earned in the period beginning January 1, 2005, and ending
December 31, 2005, or for a taxpayer's fiscal year beginning January
1, 2005, or thereafter from January 1, 2005, and the tax shall continue
in force on a calendar-year or taxpayer's fiscal-year basis, without
annual reenactment, unless the rate of tax is subsequently changed
or the ordinance repealed. Regardless of the fiscal year of any taxpayer,
such taxpayer shall be liable for the payment of the tax hereby imposed
from January 1, 2005.
C. All provisions of this article applicable to the general earned income
tax shall apply to the open space earned income tax unless state law
provides otherwise.
The Income Tax Officer shall receive such compensation for his
services and expenses as determined by the Township of Nockamixon.
If for any reason the tax is not paid when due, interest at
the rate of 6% per annum on the amount of said tax, and an additional
penalty of 1/2 of 1% of the amount of the unpaid tax for each month
or fraction thereof during which the tax remains unpaid, shall be
added and collected. Where suit is brought for the recovery of any
such tax, the person liable therefor shall, in addition, be liable
for the costs of collection and the interest and penalties herein
imposed.
The Income Tax Officer shall demand, receive and collect from
all corporations, political subdivisions, associations, companies,
firms or individuals, employing persons owing delinquent earned income
taxes or whose wife owes delinquent earned income taxes, or having
in possession unpaid commissions or earnings belonging to any person
or persons owing delinquent earned income taxes, or whose wife owes
delinquent earned income taxes, upon the presentation of a written
notice and demand under oath or affirmation, containing the name of
the taxable or the husband thereof and the amount of tax due. Upon
the presentation of such written notice and demand, it shall be the
duty of any such corporation, political subdivision, association,
company, firm or individual to deduct from the wages, commissions
or earnings of such individual employees, then owing or which 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 Income Tax Officer 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 cost 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 Income Tax
Officer. 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 Income Tax Officer, less the
cost of bookkeeping involved in such transaction, as herein 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 paid over, or that are withheld and are 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 Income Tax Officer,
or by the proper authorities of the Township of Nockamixon 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.
The Income Tax Officer or his agent is hereby authorized to
accept payment of the amount of tax claimed by the Township of Nockamixon
in any case where any person disputes the validity or amount of the
Township of Nockamixon's claim for the tax. If it is thereafter judicially
determined by the court of competent jurisdiction that there has been
an overpayment to the Income Tax Officer or his agent, the amount
of the overpayment shall be refunded or credited to the taxpayer or
employer who paid the same.
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Nockamixon shall,
by resolution hereafter to be adopted, designate such person, persons,
firm or corporation as Income Tax Officer at such rate of compensation
as it shall deem appropriate whose term shall expire as designated
in the appointing resolution. The term of the appointment shall be
set forth in the appointing resolution. The Township of Nockamixon
and the Income Tax Officer may contract with an agent and delegate
thereto the powers and duties prescribed in this article for the Income
Tax Officer. The designated Income Tax Officer shall have the powers
and duties as set forth in this article and such other powers as may
subsequently be delegated to him by separate resolutions of the Board
of Supervisors of the Township of Nockamixon.
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Nockamixon may enter
into reciprocal agreements with other political subdivisions pertaining
to the collection of tax moneys from residents who work outside the
Township of Nockamixon or nonresidents of the Township of Nockamixon
who work within the Township of Nockamixon and for the payment and
transfer between the said political subdivision of the tax moneys
which are properly due and owing to the political subdivisions.
The tax imposed by this article shall not apply:
A. Constitutional limitation. To any person as to whom it is beyond
the legal power of the Township of Nockamixon to impose the tax herein
provided for under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution
and Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B. Nonprofit organizations. To any institution or organization operated
for public, religious, educational or charitable purposes, to any
institution or organization not organized or operated for private
profit or to a trust or a foundation established for any of the said
purposes.
C. Corporation. To the net profits of any corporation which is subject
to the Pennsylvania Corporation Net Income Tax or exempt from the
Pennsylvania Corporation Net Income Tax and any foreign corporation
which is subject to the Pennsylvania Franchise Tax or exempt from
the Pennsylvania Franchise Tax.
D. This section shall not be construed to exempt any person who is an
employer from the duty of collecting the tax at source from his employees
and paying the amount collected to the Township of Nockamixon under
the provisions of this article.
This article and the tax imposed hereby is adopted under and
by virtue of the authority contained in the Act of the General Assembly,
approved the 31st day of December, 1965 (Act 511, P.L. 1257) known
as "The Local Tax Enabling Act."