There is hereby levied in that part of Lee County outside the corporate limits of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City in addition to all other taxes now imposed by law special county privilege license and excise taxes paralleling state sales and use taxes. In that part of Lee County lying outside the corporate limits but within the police jurisdiction of the City of Phenix City, such tax shall be levied in the manner and at one-half the rate of such tax in that part of Lee County outside the corporate limits of Auburn and Opelika, in which latter area the tax shall be levied in the manner and at the rates hereafter prescribed:
(1) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City in the business of selling at retail any tangible personal property whatsoever, including merchandise and commodities of every kind and character, but not including, however, bonds or other evidence of debt or stocks, nor sale or sales of material and supplies to any person for use in fulfilling a contract for the painting, repair, or reconditioning of vessels, barges, ships, and other watercraft of over 50 tons burden, an amount equal to one percent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business except where a different amount is expressly provided herein. Provided, however, that any person engaging or continuing in business as a retailer and wholesaler or jobber shall pay the tax required on the gross proceeds of retail sales of such businesses at the rates specified, when his or her books are kept so as to show separately the gross proceeds of sales of each business, and when his or her books are not so kept he or she shall pay the tax as retailer, on the gross sales of the business. Provided that where all the sales of a company are single sales of peanut products, milk products, coffee, and confections sold in dispensing machines located in industrial plants or on private property for employees where such machines dispense exclusively articles not to exceed ten cents ($.10) per sale, and the person operating such machines shall be engaged in the business of selling exclusively articles not to exceed ten cents ($.10) per sale and shall file with the Department of Revenue a sworn statement to that effect and shall keep and maintain records satisfactory to the Department of Revenue, the gross receipts tax herein provided for shall not be levied.
(2) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City in the business of conducting or operating places of amusement or entertainment, billiard and pool rooms, bowling alleys, amusement devices, theatres, opera houses, moving picture shows, vaudevilles, amusement parks, athletic contests, including wrestling matches, prize fights, boxing and wrestling exhibitions, football and baseball games, including athletic contests conducted by or under the auspices of any educational institution within such part of Lee County, or any athletic association thereof, or other association whether such institution or association be denominational, a state, county, or a municipal institution or association be denominational, a state, county, or a city school, or other institution, association, or school, skating rinks, race tracks, golf courses, or any other place at which any exhibition, display, amusement, or entertainment is offered to the public or place or places where an admission fee is charged, including public bathing places, public dance halls of every kind and description, conducted or carried on within such part of Lee County, an amount equal to one percent of the gross receipts of any such business.
(3) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City in the business of selling at retail machines or machinery used in mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, and manufacturing of tangible personal property an amount equal to three-eighths of one percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of such machines, provided, that the term machines, as herein used, shall include machinery which is used for mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, or manufacturing tangible personal property and the parts of such machines, attachments, and replacements therefor, which are made or manufactured for use on or in the operation of such machines and which are necessary to the operation of such machines and are customarily so used.
(4) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City in the business of selling at retail any automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer an amount equal to three-eighths of one percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of the automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer, provided, however, where a person subject to the tax provided for in this subsection withdraws from his or her stock in trade any automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer for use by him or her or by his or her employee or agent in the operation of such business, there shall be paid, in lieu of the tax levied herein a fee of one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25) per year or part thereof during which such automotive vehicle, truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer shall remain the property of such person. Each such year or part thereof shall begin with the day or anniversary date, as the case may be, of such withdrawal, and shall run for the 12 succeeding months or part thereof during which such automotive vehicle, truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer shall remain the property of such person. Where any used automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer is taken in trade, or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment on the sale of a new or used vehicle, the tax levied herein shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the price of the new or used vehicle sold less a credit for the used vehicle taken in trade.
(5) An excise tax is hereby imposed on the following:
a. The storage, use, or other consumption in that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City of tangible personal property, not including, however, materials and supplies bought for use in fulfilling a contract for the painting, repairing, or reconditioning of vessels, barges, ships, and other watercraft of more than 50 tons burden, purchased at retail, for storage, use, or other consumption in such part of Lee County, at the rate of one percent of the sale price of such property, except as provided in paragraphs b. and c.
b. The storage, use, or other consumption in that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City of any machines used in mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, and manufacturing of tangible personal property purchased at retail at the rate of three-eighths of one percent of the sales price of such machine; provided, however, that the term machine as herein used, shall include machinery which is used for mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, or manufacturing tangible personal property, and the parts of such machines, attachments, and replacements therefor, which are made or manufactured for use on or in the operation of such machines and which are necessary to the operation of such machines and are customarily so used.
c. The storage, use, or other consumption in that part of Lee County outside the police jurisdictions of the Cities of Auburn, Opelika, and Phenix City of any automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer purchased at retail for storage, use, or other consumption in such part of Lee County, at the rate of three-eighths of one percent of the sales price of such automotive vehicle, truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer. Where any used automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer is taken in trade, or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment on the sale of a new or used vehicle, the tax levied shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the price of the new or used vehicle sold less a credit for the used vehicle taken in trade.
Last modified: May 3, 2021