HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd1993-029
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Failed on 3/14/94
Sponsored by: lones
Introduction Date: 11122193
Public Hearing Date: 12113193
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
ORDINANCE NO. 93-29
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SEWARD, ALASKA, PROVIDING FOR A PASSENGE
TRANSIT FEE FOR MARINE CHARTER VESSELS AND BUS ESSES
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA HEREBY
ORDAINS that:
Section 1. New Chapter 5.45 of the Seward City Co e is hereby created to read
as follows:
Chapter 5.45
5.45.010 Definitions. As used in this cha er:
A. "City manager" means the citY. nager of the city or the designee of the
city manager.
B. "Operator" means a pers who furnishes, offers or otherwise makes
available transportation on a ves for monetary consideration whether acting
directly or through an agent or ployee.
C. "Passenger" mea a person transported on a vessel for monetary
consideration, whether in thf/fonn of a charge per individual passenger, charge per
group of passengers or ch~ge for use of a vessel.
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5.45.020 Passenger ]Yransit Fee.
A. There is ,Istablished a passenger transit fee of one dollar payable by every
passenger not ex~pt under subsection B of this section who boards or departs a
vessel at any Mck, wharf or other harbor facility in the city. The fee is payable
regardless of who owns the dock, wharf or other harbor facility.
B. The following passengers are exempt from the fee imposed by subsection
A of this section:
1. Passengers boarding a vessel for a voyage tenninating, or
departing a vessel from a voyage originating, more that 100 nautical miles from the
city.
2. Passengers departing a vessel from a voyage originating in the
city, who paid the fee imposed by subsection A of this section for boarding the
vessel to commence the voyage.
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2. Passengers departing a vessel from a voyage originating in the
city, who paid the fee imposed by subsection A of this section for boarding the
vessel to commence the voyage.
3. Passengers exempt from paying the fee, or passengers on a vessel
whose operator is exempt from collecting the fee, under federal or state law.
5.45.030 Payment and collection of fee. The passenger is responsible for paying
the fee imposed by this chapter, and the fee shall be due and payable at the time
consideration for transportation on the vessel is due and payable. The operator
shall collect the fee when the operator collects the consideration for transportation
on the vessel.
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5.45.040 Fee receipts, returns and records.
A. Title to all fees collected under this chapter vests in the city upon
collection. The operator shall segregate the fees that it collects under this chapter
from any of its other funds, and safeguard the fees that it collects until transmitted
to the city as provided in this section.
B. An operator shall submit to the city manager a return on a fonn
prescribed by the city of the passenger transit fees collected during each month on
or before the last day of the following month.
C. The operator shall sign the return and transmit it together with the
related passenger transit fees collected on or before the date the return is due. An
operator that fails to deliver passenger transit fees to the city on or before the due
date of the related return shall incur a penalty equal to 10 percent of the amount
of the delinquent fees. In addition, the delinquent fees shall bear interest at a rate
of 10 percent per year, compounded monthly, from the date of delinquency until
paid.
D. Every operator transporting passengers subject to the fee imposed by
this chapter shall maintain records of all passengers transported, passenger transit
fees collected and passengers exempt from the fee, and such other books and
accounts as are necessary to detennine the amount of passenger transit fee the
operator is required to collect. All such books and records shall be maintained for
a period of not less than three years, and shall be available for examination at
reasonable times by the city manager to detennine the correctness of a return or the
amount of passenger transit fees payable or collected.
E. When an operator fails to file a return as required by subsection B of
this section or when the city manager finds that a return filed by an operator is not
supported by the records to be maintained under subsection D of this section, the
city manager may prepare and file a return on behalf of the operator. Passenger
transit fees estimated on a return filed on behalf of the operator under this
subsection may be premised upon any infonnation that is available to the city
manager, including without limitation comparative data for similar businesses. An
operator for whom an involuntary return is filed under this subsection shall be
liable for the passenger transit fees stated on the return, as well as the penalties and
interest provided in subsection C of this section and in section 5.45.070.
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5.45.050 Confidentiality of returns.
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CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
ORDINANCE NO. 93-29
A. All returns filed under this chapter and all data obtained from such
returns are confidential, and may not be inspected by persons other than those
authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
B. Subsection A of this section does not prohibit the city from collecting or
publishing statistical data derived from returns filed under this chapter, provided
the data are cumulative and do not identify particular returns or operators.
5.45.060 Operator's certificate of registration.
A. No person may engage in business as an operator transporting
passengers subject to the fee imposed by this chapter without first obtaining a
certificate of registration under this section. The certificate shall identify each
vessel on which the operator transports passengers subject to the fee imposed by this
chapter.
B. An operator shall apply to the city clerk for a certificate of registration
on a fonn prescribed by the city not later than 10 days from (i) the later of the
effective date of this chapter and the date of commencement of its business as an
operator; and (ii) the date it commences business with an additional vessel.
C. The certificate of registration shall be displayed prominently at the
operator's place of business.
D. A certificate of registration may not be assigned or transferred. If an
operator ceases to engage in business as an operator, ceases to use a vessel listed on
its certificate of registration or changes its fonn of business organization, the
certificate of registration expires and shall be surrendered to the city clerk for
cancellation.
5.45.070 Prohibited acts: collections: penaltJI.
A. No person may fail or refuse to pay the fee imposed by this chapter to
an operator authorized to collect the fee.
B. Passenger transit fees due but not paid, or collected but not transmitted
to the city, may be recovered in an action at law against the operator. Passenger
transit fee returns shall be prima facie proof of passenger transit fees collected but
not transmitted.
C. An operator who willfully fails to collect the fee levied by this chapter
shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to twice the amount of the passenger transit
fee which should have been collected.
5.45.080 Regulations.
A. The city manager may adopt regulations applying and interpreting this
chapter, and may prescribe fonns required for the administration of this chapter.
B. A passenger or an operator may apply to the city manager for a
ruling on the application of this chapter to the passenger or operator. If the city
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CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
ORDINANCE NO. 93-29
manager determines that such a ruling has general application, he may adopt it as
a regulation.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days following its enactment.
ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, this
* day of *, 1993.
THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
Dave W. Crane
Mayor
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Anderson, Krasnansky and Sieminski
Crane, Bencardino, Darling and O'Brien
None
None
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Wohlforth, Argetsinger, Johnson &
Brecht, Attorneys for the city of Seward,
Alaska
Linda S. Murphy, CMC/AAE
City Clerk
City Attorney
(City Seal)
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