Chapter 3.20
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LICENSE TAX

Sections:

3.20.010    Definitions.

3.20.020    Levy of tax.

3.20.030    Rate.

3.20.040    Rate limitation and exemption therefrom.

3.20.050    Effective date of tax levy.

3.20.060    Changes in rate or repeal of the tax.

3.20.070    Interlocal agreement for collection of the tax.

3.20.080    Repeal of inconsistent taxes and fees.

3.20.010 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

A. “Commission” means the State Tax Commission.

B.    1. Subject to subsections (B)(2) and (3) of this section, “customer” means the person who is obligated under a contract with a telecommunications provider to pay for telecommunications service received under the contract.

2. For purposes of this chapter, “customer” means:

a. The person who is obligated under a contract with a telecommunications provider to pay for telecommunications service received under the contract; or

b. If the end user is not the person described in subsection (B)(2)(a) of this section, the end user of telecommunications service.

3. “Customer” does not include a reseller:

a. Of telecommunications service; or

b. For mobile telecommunications service, of a serving carrier under an agreement to serve the customer outside the telecommunications provider’s licensed service area.

C.    1. “End user” means the person who uses a telecommunications service.

2. For purposes of telecommunications service provided to a person who is not an individual, “end user” means the individual who uses the telecommunications service on behalf of the person who is provided the telecommunications service.

D. “Gross receipts attributed to the municipality” means those gross receipts from a transaction for telecommunications service that is located within the municipality for the purpose of sales and use taxes under Title 59, Chapter 12, Utah Code Annotated 1953, Sales and Use Tax Act, and determined in accordance with Section 59-12-207, Utah Code Annotated 1953.

E. “Gross receipts from telecommunications service” means the revenue that a telecommunications provider receives for telecommunications service rendered except for amounts collected or paid as:

1. A tax, fee, or charge:

a. Imposed by a governmental entity;

b. Separately identified as a tax, fee, or charge in the transaction with the customer for the telecommunications service; and

c. Imposed only on a telecommunications provider;

2. Sales and use taxes collected by the telecommunications provider from a customer under Title 59, Chapter 12, Utah Code Annotated 1953, Sales and Use Tax Act; or

3. Interest, a fee, or a charge that is charged by a telecommunications provider on a customer for failure to pay for telecommunications service when payment is due.

F. “Mobile telecommunications service” is as defined in the Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 USC 124.

G. “Municipality” means West Point City.

H. “Place of primary use”:

1. For telecommunications service other than mobile telecommunications service, means the street address representative of where the customer’s use of the telecommunications service primarily occurs, which shall be:

a. The residential street address of the customer; or

b. The primary business street address of the customer; or

2. For mobile telecommunications service, is as defined in the Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 USC 124.

I. Notwithstanding where a call is billed or paid, “service address” means:

1. If the location described in this subsection (I)(1) is known, the location of the telecommunications equipment:

a. To which a call is charged; and

b. From which the call originates or terminates;

2. If the location described in subsection (I)(1) of this section is not known but the location described in this subsection (I)(2) is known, the location of the origination point of the signal of the telecommunications service first identified by:

a. The telecommunications system of the telecommunications provider; or

b. If the system used to transport the signal is not a system of the telecommunications provider, information received by the telecommunications provider from its service provider; or

3. If the locations described in subsection (I)(1) or (2) of this section are not known, the location of a customer’s place of primary use (see subsection (H)(1) of this section).

J.    1. Subject to subsections (J)(2) and (3) of this section, “telecommunications provider” means a person that:

a. Owns, controls, operates, or manages a telecommunications service; or

b. Engages in an activity described in subsection (J)(1)(a) of this section for the shared use with or resale to any person of the telecommunications service.

2. A person described in subsection (J)(1) of this section is a telecommunications provider whether or not the Public Service Commission of Utah regulates:

a. That person; or

b. The telecommunications service that the person owns, controls, operates, or manages.

3. “Telecommunications provider” does not include an aggregator as defined in Section 54-8b-2, Utah Code Annotated 1953.

K. “Telecommunications service” means:

1. Telephone service, as defined in Section 59-12-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953, other than mobile telecommunications service, that originates and terminates within the boundaries of this state; and

2. Mobile telecommunications services, as defined in Section 59-12-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953:

a. That originates and terminates within the boundaries of one state; and

b. Only to the extent permitted by the Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 USC 116 et seq. [Code 2000 § 4-7-1].

3.20.020 Levy of tax.

There is hereby levied a municipal telecommunications license tax on the gross receipts from telecommunications service attributed to this municipality. [Code 2000 § 4-7-2].

3.20.030 Rate.

The rate of the tax levy shall be four percent of the telecommunications provider’s gross receipts from telecommunications service that are attributed to the municipality subject to the following:

A. If the location of a transaction is determined to be other than this municipality, then the rate imposed on the gross receipts for telecommunications services shall be the lower of:

1. The rate imposed by the taxing jurisdiction in which the transaction is located; or

2. The rate for nonmobile telecommunications service shall be the rate imposed by the municipality in which the customer’s service address is located; or

3. For mobile telecommunications service, the rate imposed by the municipality of the customer’s primary place of use. [Code 2000 § 4-7-3].

3.20.040 Rate limitation and exemption therefrom.

The rate of this levy shall not exceed four percent of the telecommunications provider’s gross receipts from telecommunications service attributed to the municipality unless a higher rate is approved by a majority vote of the voters in this municipality that vote in:

A. A municipal general election;

B. A regular general election; or

C. A local special election. [Code 2000 § 4-7-4].

3.20.050 Effective date of tax levy.

This tax shall be levied beginning July 1, 2004. [Code 2000 § 4-7-5].

3.20.060 Changes in rate or repeal of the tax.

This chapter is subject to the requirements of Section 10-1-403, Utah Code Annotated 1953. If the tax rate is changed or the tax is repealed, then the appropriate notice shall be given as provided in Section 10-1-403, Utah Code Annotated 1953. [Code 2000 § 4-7-6].

3.20.070 Interlocal agreement for collection of the tax.

On or before July 1, 2004, the municipality shall enter into the uniform interlocal agreement with the Commission as described in Section 10-1-405, Utah Code Annotated 1953, for the collection, enforcement, and administration of this municipal telecommunications license tax. [Code 2000 § 4-7-7].

3.20.080 Repeal of inconsistent taxes and fees.

Any tax or fee previously enacted by this municipality under authority of Section 10-1-203 or Title 11, Chapter 26, Utah Code Annotated 1953, Local Taxation of Utilities Limitation, is hereby repealed as of midnight on June 30, 2004, with respect to telecommunications.

Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted to repeal any municipal ordinance or fee which provides that the municipality may recover from a telecommunications provider the management costs of the municipality caused by the activities of the telecommunications provider in the rights-of-way of the municipality, if the fee is imposed in accordance with Section 72-7-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953, and is not related to the municipality’s loss of use of a highway as a result of the activities of the telecommunications provider in a right-of-way, or increased deterioration of a highway as a result of the activities of the telecommunications provider in a right-of-way nor does this chapter limit the municipality’s right to charge fees or taxes on persons that are not subject to the municipal telecommunications license tax under this chapter and locate telecommunications facilities, as defined in Section 72-7-108, Utah Code Annotated 1953, in this municipality. [Code 2000 § 4-7-8].