Each person owning, operating or maintaining any gas distribution system or gas lines within the corporate limits of the city and used for the distribution and sale in the city limits of natural gas and charging for same and using in any manner either on, along, under, over, or across or otherwise any part of any street, alley, highway, easement, park, thoroughfare, or other public way within such city limits for locating, placing, erecting, operating, maintaining or using any gas transmission or gas distribution lines, pipes or other fixtures or equipment for the transmission, distribution and sale of natural gas, natural gas energy or natural gas power, shall, from and after March 4, 1968, pay to the city, quarterly, as hereafter provided, a sum of money equal to two (2) percent of the gross receipts (as such term “gross receipts” is hereinafter defined) of such person from the sale and distribution within the corporate limits of the city of all natural gas so sold and distributed therein, which such sum of money and charge is hereby fixed and assessed and shall be collected as a reasonable rental and charge for the use of such streets, alleys, highways, easements, parks, thoroughfares or other public ways or grounds or any part thereof, and the city council finds and determines such rental and charge is reasonable.
(1991 Code, sec. 28-61)