For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set out below:
"Business"means and includes professions, trades, occupations and every other kind of calling carried on for profit or livelihood, whether or not a profit or livelihood is earned thereby.
"Collector,"as used in this chapter, means the city official charged with the administration of this chapter.
"Commercial handbill,"as used in this chapter, means any handbill which is distributed for the purposes of advertising for sales of goods, wares, merchandise or services, or any other commercial activity and includes the distribution or circulation of samples of goods, wares and merchandise.
"Employee"means any person engaged in the operation or conduct of any business, whether as owner, member of the owner's family, partner, agent, manager, or solicitor, and any or all other persons employed or working in such businesses.
"Gross payroll"includes all salaries of owners, officers, partners, agents, and employees of the company based at that location in the city for the year immediately preceding any license application or renewal. The term "salary" shall mean wages, commissions, bonuses or other money payment of any kind which is received from or given credit for by his employer. It shall not include travel expenses incurred in the business of the employer and reimbursed by the employer.
"Gross receipts"includes the total amount of the sale price of all sales and the total amount charged or received for the performance of any act of service, of whatever nature it may be, for which a charge is made or credit allowed, whether or not such act or service is done as a part of, or in connection with, the sale of materials, goods, wares, or merchandise. Included in the term "gross receipts" shall be all receipts, cash, credits, and property of any kind or nature without any deduction therefrom on account of the cost of the property sold, the cost of the materials used, labor or service costs, interest paid or payable, or losses or other expenses whatsoever. Excluded from the term "gross receipts" shall be:
1. Cash discounts allowed and taken on sales;
2. Credit allowed on property accepted as part of the purchase price and which property may later be sold;
3. Any tax required by law to be included in, or added to, the purchase price and collected from the consumer or purchaser;
4. Such part of the sale price of property returned by purchasers upon the rescission of the contract of sale as is refunded either in cash or by credit;
5. Amounts collected for others where the business is acting as an agent or trustee to the extent that such amounts are paid to those for whom the same are collected; and
6. That portion of the receipts of a general contractor, which receipts represent payments to subcontractors provided such subcontractors are licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and provided the general contractor furnishes to the collector the names and addresses of the subcontractors and the amounts paid each subcontractor.
"Person"means and includes all domestic and foreign corporations, associations, syndicates, joint stock corporations, partnerships of every kind, clubs, Massachusetts businesses or common law trusts, societies, and individuals transacting and carrying on any business in the city other than as an employee.
"Starting date"means that date when a newly established business first commences its operation.
"Sworn statement"means an affidavit sworn to before a person authorized to take oaths, or a declaration or certification made under penalty of perjury.
(Code 1980, § 5.04.020; Ord. No. 21, art. I, § 1, 1978; Ord. No. 21B, §§ 1—3, 1986; Ord. No. 870 (Recodification), 2014)