[Adopted 11-13-1969 by Ord. No. 1266]
The following words and phrases as used in this article shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
COLLECTOR
[Repealed 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623]
GROSS VOLUME OF BUSINESS
Includes both cash and credit transactions and trade-in transactions as provided by law.
LICENSE YEAR
The twelve-month period beginning the first day of January.
PERSON*
Any individual, partnership, limited partnership, association or corporation (except such as are wholly exempt from taxation under the Local Tax Enabling Act approved December 31, 1965, P.L. 1257, as amended[1]).
RETAIL DEALER OR RETAIL VENDOR*
Any person who is a dealer in or a vendor of goods, wares and merchandise and who is not a wholesale dealer or vendor or a wholesale and retail dealer or vendor as hereinafter defined.
SECRETARY
The Secretary of the Township of Abington.
TAX COLLECTOR
Until January 6, 2014, the duly elected Treasurer of the Township of Abington; and on and after January 6, 2014, the duly elected Tax Collector of the Township of Abington.
[Added 5-9-2013 by Ord. No. 2050]
TEMPORARY, SEASONAL OR ITINERANT BUSINESS
Any business that is conducted at one location for less than sixty consecutive calendar days.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Abington.[2]
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALER OR WHOLESALE AND RETAIL VENDOR*
Any person who sells to dealers in or vendors of goods, wares and merchandise and to other persons.
WHOLESALE DEALER OR WHOLESALE VENDOR*
Any person who sells to dealers in or vendors of goods, wares and merchandise and to no other persons.
* NOTE: These terms shall not include nonprofit corporations or associations organized solely and exclusively for religious, charitable or educational purposes and not conducting any regular or established business competing commercially with any other person subject to the tax herein imposed, nor agencies of the Government of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, nor any person vending or disposing of articles of such person's own manufacture for shipment or delivery from the place of the manufacture thereof, nor any farmer vending or disposing of such farmer's own produce, nor other transaction exempted by law.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 6901 et seq.
[2]
Editor’s Note: The former definition of "Treasurer," added 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623, and which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 5-9-2013 by Ord. No. 2050.
[Amended 12-10-1970 by Ord. No. 1293; 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623]
For 1987 and each license year thereafter, every person desiring to continue to engage in or hereafter to begin to engage in the business of wholesale or retail, or wholesale and retail, vendor or dealer in goods, wares and merchandise, and any person conducting a restaurant or other place where food, drink or refreshments are sold in the Township, shall, on or before the 15th day of the license year or prior to commencing business in any such license year, apply for and procure a mercantile license for each place of business in the Township, and, if such person has no actual place of business within the Township, then one license from the Secretary of the Township, who shall issue the same upon payment of a fee of $10, for a wholesale and retail license for one such place of business or, if more than one, for each of such person's places of business in the Township for such license year. Each application for a license shall be signed by the applicant, if a natural person, and, in the case of an association or partnership, by a member or partner thereof and, in the case of a corporation, by an officer thereof. Such licenses shall not be assignable and shall be conspicuously posted at each place of business within the Township at all times. In the case of loss, defacement or destruction of any license, the person to whom the license was issued shall apply to the Secretary for a new license, for which a fee of $1 shall be charged.
A. 
A tax to provide revenue for general Township purposes is hereby levied, assessed and imposed upon every person engaging in any of the following occupations or businesses in the Township at the rate hereinafter set forth, and such persons shall pay a mercantile license tax for the license year at such rate, subject to the exemptions hereinafter set forth; provided, however, that in no event shall the annual mercantile license tax herein imposed be less than $10 for each of the places of business of every such person:
(1) 
Wholesale vendor or dealer in goods, wares and merchandise of every kind, at the rate of one mill on each dollar of the gross volume of business transacted by such person during the license year.
(2) 
Retail vendor or dealer in goods, wares and merchandise of every kind, and all persons engaged in conducting restaurants or other places where food, drink or refreshments are sold, at the rate of 1 1/2 mills on each dollar of the gross volume of business transacted by such person during the license year.
[Amended 12-26-1974 by Ord. No. 1390]
(3) 
Wholesale and retail vendor or dealer in goods, wares and merchandise of every kind, at the rate of one mill on each dollar of the gross volume of wholesale business transacted and 1 1/2 mills on each dollar of the gross volume of retail business transacted by such person during the license year.
[Amended 12-26-1974 by Ord. No. 1390]
B. 
The tax provided for in Subsections A(1), (2) and (3) of this section shall not be levied on the dollar volume of business transacted by wholesale and/or retail vendors or dealers derived from the resale of goods, wares and merchandise taken by any vendor or dealer as a trade-in or as part payment for other goods, wares and merchandise, except to the extent that the resale price exceeds the trade-in allowance.
C. 
Any wholesale dealer or wholesale vendor who conducts business within the Township may deduct from the tax due the Township such tax as if paid by him on those receipts from sales made into another political subdivision where such sales are subject to a gross receipt tax by that political subdivision. In no event shall said deduction exceed the amount of tax that would have been payable to the Township had the receipts subject to deduction been based on sales made within the Township.
[Added 3-13-1980 by Ord. No. 1505]
D. 
Exemption. The first $2,500 of gross volume of business for each license year commencing after December 31, 1992, shall be exempt from the mercantile license tax.
[Added 8-13-1992 by Ord. No. 1716]
A. 
Every person subject to the payment of the tax hereby imposed who has commenced business at least a full year prior to January 1 of the license year shall compute the gross volume of business upon the actual gross amount of business transacted by such person during the 12 months preceding such January 1.
B. 
Every person subject to the payment of the tax hereby imposed who has commenced business less than one full year prior to such January 1 shall compute the gross volume of business by multiplying by 12 the monthly average of the actual gross amount of business transacted by such person during the months while engaged in business prior to such January 1.
C. 
Every person subject to the payment of the tax hereby imposed who commences business subsequent to such January 1 shall compute the gross volume of business for the license year upon the gross volume of business transacted by such person during the first month of business multiplied by the number of months remaining in the license year.
D. 
Every person subject to the payment of the tax hereby imposed who engages in business which is temporary, seasonal or itinerant by its nature shall compute the gross volume of business upon the actual gross amount of business transacted by such person during the license year.
E. 
At the end of the license year and on or before April 15 of the following year, every person subject to the tax hereby imposed shall make a return to the Secretary of the Township of the actual volume of business transacted by the taxpayer during the period for which the taxpayer is subject to the tax. Such final return shall state the amount of the gross volume of business as set forth in the first return, the amount of tax paid at the time of the filing of the first return and the amount of tax due upon the final computation.
[Amended 12-10-1970 by Ord. No. 1293; 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623]
Every return as hereinafter required by this article shall be made upon a form furnished by the Secretary. Every person making such return shall certify the correctness thereof under the penalties of perjury.
[Amended 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623; 5-9-2013 by Ord. No. 2050]
A. 
Every person subject to the tax imposed by this article who has commenced business at least one full year prior to the beginning of the license year shall, on or before the 15th day of April following, file with the Tax Collector a return setting forth such person's name, business and business address and such other information as may be necessary to compute the actual gross volume of business transacted by such person during the preceding year and the amount of tax estimated to be due.
B. 
Every person subject to the tax imposed by this article who has commenced business less than one full year prior to the beginning of the license year shall, on or before the 15th day of April following, file with the Tax Collector a return setting forth such person's name, business and business address and such other information as may be necessary to compute the actual gross volume of business transacted by such person during the preceding year and the amount of tax estimated to be due.
C. 
Every person subject to the tax imposed by this article who commences business subsequent to the beginning of the license year shall, within 40 days from the date of commencing such business, file with the Tax Collector a return setting forth such person's name, business and business address and such other information as may be necessary to compute the actual gross volume of business transacted by such person during the first month of business and the amount of tax estimated to be due.
D. 
Every person subject to the payment of the tax imposed by this article who engages in a business which is temporary, seasonal or itinerant by its nature shall, within seven days from the date of completion of such business, file with the Tax Collector a return setting forth such person's name, business and business address and such other information as may be necessary in arriving at the actual gross amount of business transacted by such person during such period and the amount of the tax due.
[Amended 12-10-1970 by Ord. No. 1293; 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623]
On or before April 15 of the year following the license year, every person subject to the tax hereby imposed shall make a final return as required by § 152-4E.
A. 
At the time of filing the first return, the person making the same shall pay the amount of the tax estimated to be due.
B. 
At the time of filing the final return, if the full amount of the tax due by the taxpayer for the license year has not been paid, the taxpayer shall pay the remaining balance of the tax, which shall be the difference between the amount of the tax paid at the time of making the first return on the estimated computation and the amount of the tax finally shown to be due.
[Amended 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623; 5-9-2013 by Ord. No. 2050]
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Tax Collector to collect and receive the fees, taxes, fines and penalties imposed by this article. It shall also be the duty of the Tax Collector to keep a record showing the amount of the tax received and the date of payment. A receipt shall be given to the person paying the tax.
B. 
If the Tax Collector is not satisfied with the return and payment of tax made by any taxpayer or supposed taxpayer under the provisions of this article, the Tax Collector is hereby authorized and empowered to make a determination of the tax due by such person, based upon the facts contained in the return or upon any information within the Tax Collector's possession or that shall come into the Tax Collector's possession, and for this purpose the Tax Collector or the deputy or authorized agent of the Tax Collector is authorized to examine the books, papers and records of any such person to verify the accuracy of any return or payment made under the provisions hereof or to ascertain whether the taxes imposed by this article have been paid. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, any such person who shall refuse to allow such inspection shall be guilty of a summary offense, and upon conviction before a district justice, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $600, together with the court costs, for each offense. Each day that a person refuses to allow such inspection shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If no return is filed or if the Tax Collector is not satisfied with the return and payment of tax required under the provision of this article, the Tax Collector is hereby authorized and empowered to prepare and send, by certified or registered mail, a notice of proposed deficiency to the taxpayer's last known address, based upon the facts contained in the return or upon such information and belief as is available to the Tax Collector. For this purpose, the Collector or the deputy or authorized agent of the Tax Collector is authorized to request, examine, and obtain from any person legible copies of the books, papers, records and federal and state income tax returns of such person reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of any return required to be made under the provisions hereof. The Tax Collector is hereby authorized and directed to make and keep such records, prepare such forms and take such other measures as may be necessary or convenient to carry this article into effect, and may, in such officer's discretion, require reasonable deposits to be made by licensees who engage in a business which is temporary, seasonal or itinerant by its nature.
[Amended 6-13-2002 by Ord. No. 1878]
C. 
If any taxpayer or supposed taxpayer shall neglect or refuse to make any return and payment of tax required by this article, or if, as a result of an investigation by the Tax Collector, a return is found to be incorrect, the Tax Collector shall estimate the tax due by such person and determine the amount due for taxes, penalties and interest thereon.
D. 
The burden is hereby imposed upon any person, firm or corporation claiming an exemption from the payment of the tax hereby imposed to prove by clear and convincing evidence the legal right to such exemption to the satisfaction of the Tax Collector.
E. 
If the final return of the taxpayer shows an overpayment of the tax by reason of the fact that the gross volume of business as stated in the estimated computation was more than the actual volume of business for the year or by reason of the fact that the taxpayer did not continue to engage in business throughout the year, the Tax Collector shall refund to the taxpayer the amount of such overpayment, which shall be the difference between the amount of tax paid upon the filing of the first return and the amount of the tax finally shown to be due.
F. 
Any information contained on the returns of a taxpayer and any information obtained as a result of the examination of the books and records of the taxpayer shall be confidential except for official purposes and except for purposes of judicial order.
All taxes due and unpaid under this article shall be recoverable by the Township Solicitor as other debts due the Township are now by law recoverable.
[Amended 2-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1623; 12-14-2006 by Ord. No. 1942[1]]
All taxes and estimated taxes due under this article shall bear interest at the rate of 10% per year or daily fractional part of a year from the day they are due and payable until paid. If any taxpayer shall neglect or refuse to make any return or payment as herein required, an additional 10% of the amount of the tax shall be added by the Treasurer and collected.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided an effective date of 1-1-2007.
All taxes, interest and penalties received, collected or recovered under the provisions of this article shall be paid into the treasury of the Township for the use and benefit of the Township.
Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to empower the Township to levy and collect the taxes hereby imposed on any person or any business or any portion of any business not within the taxing power of the Township under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The provisions of this article are severable, and if any of its provisions or exemptions shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, or invalid or unconstitutional as to any part of the period designated herein as the license year, the decisions of any court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions of this article, or affect or impair its application as to any other part of the said license year, and the requirements as to the license shall operate as of the effective date of this article and the computation of tax and payment thereof shall be applied and adjusted accordingly.
Any person, as defined in this article, or any officer, agent, servant or employee thereof, who shall fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any of the terms or provisions of this article, shall, upon conviction thereof before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $300 and costs of prosecution for each offense, to be collected as other fines and costs are by law collectible, and in default of payment of said fine and costs, the defendant may be sentenced and committed to the Township lockup for a period not exceeding five days or to the Montgomery County jail for a period not exceeding 30 days. The fine imposed by this section shall be in addition to any other penalty imposed by any other section of this article.
[Added 3-11-1976 by Ord. No. 1420]
This article has been enacted under the authority of the Local Tax Enabling Act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, approved December 31, 1965, P.L. 1257, as amended, 53 P.S. § 6901 et seq.