ORDINANCE NO. 363

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF SOUTH PRAIRIE, PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON AMENDING THE ANNUAL LICENSING FEE FOR A BUSINESS, WHICH AMENDS ORDINANCE NO. 101, SECTION 3, ORDINANCE NO. 128, SECTION 1, ORDINANCE NO. 132, SECTION 1 TO INCREASE LICENSING TO A BASE AMOUNT OF $25.00 PER YEAR AND FOR ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS DEPENDING UPON THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.

Whereas, business licensing and the annual fee has been established in Ordinance No. 101, No. 128 and No. 132, and

Whereas, the above ordinances establish annual licensing fee for a business, regardless of the number of employees, which has been increased over time from $10.00 per year in Ordinance No. 101 to $20.00 per year in Ordinance No. 132, and

Whereas, the Town finds that the monitoring costs for a business is proportionally increased based upon the number of employees of the business, and

Whereas, the base amount of $20.00 should be increased to $25.00 to cover additional costs, and

Whereas, to develop a fair and accurate relationship between the number of employees and the associated licensing fees, the Town relies on information obtained from a neighboring jurisdiction, Bonney Lake, which in Section 5.08.030 of its code set forth a licensing fee based upon the number of employees, and

Whereas, the Town recognizes that the fees used by Bonney Lake may have to be increased in the near future since those fees were established in 1982, not withstanding the Town desires to utilize the methodology and the fees until later revised, and

Whereas, the establishment of a reasonable relationship between the licensing fee established and the costs associated is in the interest of public health, safety and welfare.

Now, therefore, the Town Council of the Town of South Prairie, Pierce County, Washington do ordain as follows:

Section 1: Ordinance No. 101, Section 3, Ordinance No. 128, Section 1 and Ordinance No. 132, Section 1 are hereby amended to read as follows:

On or after January 1, 1999, there is levied and shall be collected upon every person engaged in business in the Town an annual license fee for the privilege of engaging in business activities. Such licensing fee shall be measured b y

the number of employees of each business that were employed between January 1st and December 31st of the preceding year, which licensing fee is payable as follows:

A. For every person employing 1 or 2 employees: $ 25.00 per year.

B. For every person employing 3 to and including 5 employees: $ 50.00 per year

C. For every person employing 6 to and including 12 employees: $100.00 per year

D. For every person employing 13 to and including 25 employees: $250.00 per year

E. For every person employing 26 to and including 50 employees: $500.00 per year

F. For every person employing over 50 employees: $ 750.00 per year

Section 2: If any provision of this Ordinance, or Ordinance No. 101, 128 or 132 is determined to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions of this ordinance and/or Ordinance No. 101, 128 or 132 shall remain in force and affect.

Section 3: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force January 1, 1999.

Mayor Layne Ross

INTRODUCED: 12-1-98
PASSED: 12-1-98

APPROVED: 12-1-98

PUBLISHED: 12-16-98

Attested: