Section 45-37-244.01
Automobile rental tax.
(a) In Jefferson County, in addition to all other taxes imposed by law, there is hereby levied an additional privilege or license tax, in the amount hereinafter prescribed against any person, organization, or other entity engaging or continuing in the county in the business of leasing or renting any passenger automotive vehicle, the duration of the lease being not more than one year. The amount of the taxes levied by this section shall be equal to three percent of the gross proceeds derived by the lessor from the lease or rental of such passenger automotive vehicle for not more than one year. The taxes levied by this section shall become effective September 1, 2001.
(b) All amounts collected pursuant to this section shall be allocated to the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, established by Sections 45-37-90 to 45-37-90.07, inclusive, and shall be used for the support of the operation of the authority, including, but not limited to, capital expansion, renovation, and maintenance.
(c) The taxes levied by this section, except as otherwise provided, shall be due and payable to the director of revenue or any other county officer or employee charged with the duty of collecting county licenses or privilege taxes, on or before the last day of each month next succeeding the month in which the tax accrues. On or before the last day of each month after the ratification date of the taxes, every person upon whom the tax is levied by this section shall render to the director on a form prescribed by him or her, a true and correct statement showing the gross proceeds of the business subject to the tax for the then preceding month, together with such other information as the director may demand and require. When making the monthly report the taxpayer shall compute and pay to the director the amount of taxes shown to be due, provided, however, any person subject to the tax who conducts any business on a credit basis may defer reporting and paying the tax until after the person has received payment for the items, articles, or accommodations furnished. In the event the taxpayer so defers reporting and paying any taxes, he or she shall thereafter include in each monthly report all credit collections made during the then preceding month and shall pay the amount of taxes computed thereon at the time of filing the report. Every person engaged or continuing in any business subject to the taxes levied by this section shall keep and preserve suitable records of the gross proceeds of the business and such other books or accounts as may be necessary to determine the amount of tax for which he or she is liable. The records shall be kept and preserved for a period of five years and shall be open for examination at any time by the director or by any duly authorized agent, deputy, or employees of the director. Any person who fails to pay the tax levied by this section within the time required by this section shall pay in addition to the tax a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of tax due, together with interest thereon at the rate of one-half of one percent per month or fraction thereof from the date on which the tax became due and payable, to be assessed and collected as a part of the tax. The director may waive or remit the penalty or any portion thereof.
(d) The failure of any person to pay any tax levied by this section within the time specified for the payment of the same by this section shall constitute a misdemeanor. The violation of any of the provisions of this section by any person shall constitute a misdemeanor. Any person violating any provisions of this section shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or may be sentenced not to exceed six months, or both, unless a different punishment is prescribed herein.
(e) Before the twentieth day of each calendar month, the director shall pay, pursuant to subsection (b), in the amounts allocated therein to the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, all of the license and privilege taxes levied by this section received by him or her during the next preceding calendar month.
(f) None of the provisions of this section shall be applied in such manner as to violate the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. Should any provision of this section be held invalid, the validity thereof shall not alter the remaining provisions of this section.
(g) This section shall become operative on the first day of the second calendar month after the chair of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority delivers to the director of revenue, or other collecting officer of the county, a certificate stating that the authority has made a contractual commitment for the construction of a stadium that, in the authority's judgment, is suitable for NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football games. The contractual commitment must be a bond purchase agreement, loan agreement, or other financing commitment that provides funds, together with other funds available or contractually committed to the authority, that, in the authority's judgment, are sufficient to complete construction of the stadium.
(Act 2001–550, p. 1106, §§1-7; Act 2018-288, §1.)