(a) This part shall apply only to Coosa County, Alabama.
(b) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them as follows:
(1) BUSINESS. All activities engaged in, or caused to be engaged in, by any person with the object of gain, profit, benefit, or advantage, either direct, or indirect to the person.
(2) LICENSE OR PRIVILEGE FEE. Any fee levied or imposed by this section and shall not include, or be in lieu of, any sales or use tax.
(3) PERSON. Any natural person, partnership, corporation, firm, association, trust, estate, or other entity.
(c) The purpose and intent of this section is both to equalize the burden of taxation by authorizing the county to impose a license or privilege fee upon persons now engaging in certain business that are not paying any license fee or tax to either the state or county for the privilege, and to generate additional revenue for the county by imposing an additional county license or privilege fee upon persons now engaging, or who may hereafter engage, in certain businesses.
(d) The governing body of the county is authorized to levy an annual license or privilege fee upon any person engaging in any business in the county. The license or privilege fee authorized by this section shall be in addition to any other license or privilege fee provided by law.
(e) The fee levied by this section shall be paid annually on October 1 for the succeeding year to the officer or employee of the county charged with the duty of collecting license or privilege fees or taxes payable to the county. Proceeds from the fee shall be deposited in the county general fund for the use of the county.
(f) The license or privilege fee levied by the governing body of the county on any person for engaging in any business shall be at a rate of not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) for each business operating in the county. The governing body of the county is expressly authorized to set the rate of the license or privilege fee within the aforementioned limits for each type or category of business in the county. The rates of the license or privilege fee for each type or category of business shall be uniform throughout the county and shall be set forth in a schedule promulgated by the governing body of the county. The rate for each type or category of business shall be based upon the type, size, gross receipts or number of employees, or both, of the business and any other reasonable criteria that the governing body of the county may take into consideration.
(g) The governing body of the county is expressly authorized, from time to time, to prescribe all necessary or appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of this section.
(h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require a license or privilege fee for a church practicing the tenets of any religion.
Last modified: May 3, 2021