[Adopted 10-23-1989 by L.L. No. 5-1989 as Ch. 194, Art. III, of the 1989 Code]
For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TRANSIENT RETAIL BUSINESS
One conducted in a store, hotel, house, building or structure for the sale and retail of goods, wares and merchandise, excepting food products, and which is intended to be conducted for a temporary period of time and not permanently. If the place in which such business is conducted is rented or leased for a period of six months or less, such fact shall be presumptive evidence that the business carried on therein is a "transient retail business."
No person shall conduct a transient retail business in the Village without obtaining a permit and paying a tax therefor, which tax shall be based upon the gross amount of sales and shall be at the same rate as other property is taxed for the year in the Village. Such tax shall be levied and become due and payable as herein provided, and the permit to conduct such transient retail business shall only be granted by the Board of Trustees.
Before any person shall conduct any transient retail business, he or she shall first make an application in writing to the Board of Trustees for a permit therefor.
At the time the application for a permit to conduct a transient retail business is made, the applicant for such permit shall present with his application a surety bond in an amount equal to twice the amount of the tax to be paid, figured on the gross amount of the sales at the same rate that other property is taxed for the year.
If, at the time the tax required by this article becomes due and payable, the tax rate for the current year has not been fixed, the same shall be estimated by the Assessors of the Village.
A permit to conduct a transient retail business will not be granted except by the unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees present at the meeting at which the same is presented.
Every permit issued pursuant to this article shall be granted upon the express condition that the same may be revoked by the Board of Trustees for failure to pay the tax required by this article, failure to pay the expenses of audit as provided in § 222-14, failure to make the reports required by § 222-15 or for any violation of any legislation, rule or regulation of the Village relating to the conduct of a retail business within the Village or the occupancy of the place in which the business is conducted.
The books and papers of any person conducting a transient retail business shall be open to inspection and audit by any official of the Village or by any person employed by the Village for the purpose of making an audit thereof. In addition to the tax imposed by this article, the person conducting a transient retail business shall pay any and all expenses for making said audit.
Any person receiving a permit from the Board of Trustees for the conduct of a transient retail business shall, each and every week during the conduct thereof, furnish and present to the Receiver of Taxes and Assessments a verified report which shall contain an accurate account of the stock on hand, the stock purchased or procured and the gross amount of sales, and such report shall be accompanied by the amount of tax then due and payable as based upon such gross amount of sales.
Any person failing to pay the tax required by this article or failing to obey the provisions of this article or any resolution adopted hereunder shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.