Chapter 3.05 TRANSIENT ROOM TAX

“Hotel” means any structure, or any portion of any structure, other than a hospital or homeless shelter, which is occupied or intended or designed for transient occupancy for 30 days or less for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, studio hotel, bachelor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, apartment house, public or private club, commercial campground, space in mobile home or trailer parks, or similar structure or portions thereof so occupied, provided such occupancy is for less than a 30-day period.

“Occupancy” means the use or possession or the right to the use or possession for lodging or sleeping purposes of any room or rooms in a hotel or space in a mobile home or trailer park or portion thereof.

“Operator” means the person who is proprietor of the hotel in any capacity. Where the operator performs his/her functions through a managing agent of any type or character other than an employee, the managing agent shall also be deemed an operator for the purposes of this chapter and shall have the same duties and liabilities as his/her principal. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter by either the principal or the managing agent shall be considered to be compliance by both.

“Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, fraternity, sorority, public or private dormitory, joint stock company, corporation, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, trustee, syndicate and/or any other group or combination acting as a unit.

“Rent” means the consideration charged, whether or not received by the operator, for the occupancy of space in a hotel valued in money, goods, labor, credits, property or other consideration valued in money without any deduction.

“Rent package plan” means the consideration charged for both food and rent where a single rate is made for the total of both. The amount applicable to rent for determination of transient room tax under this chapter shall be the same charge made for rent when consideration is not a part of a package plan.

“Tax” means either the tax payable by the transient or the aggregate amount of taxes due from an operator during the period for which he/she is required to report his/her collections.

“Transient” means any individual who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy in a hotel for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days. The day a transient checks out of the hotel shall not be included in determining the 30-day period if the transient is not charged rent for that day by the operator. Any such individual so occupying space in a hotel shall be deemed to be a transient until the period of 30 days has expired, unless there is an agreement in writing between the operator and the occupant providing for a longer period of occupancy. In determining whether a person is a transient, uninterrupted periods of time extending both prior and subsequent to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter may be considered. A person who pays for lodging on a monthly basis, irrespective of the number of days in such month, shall not be deemed a transient. [Ord. 906 § 1, 2012; Ord. 874 § 2, 2008.]

3.05.030 Small establishments exempted.

The definition of hotel or motel as set forth in HMC 3.05.020 shall not apply to any structure or collection of units at one location when the total number of units is less than six or when the assessed value of the improvements on the real property is less than $100,000. In order for this exclusion to apply, it shall be necessary for the owner to make application to the Finance Officer for the exclusion of being exempt from the provisions of this chapter. [Ord. 874 § 3, 2008.]

3.05.040 Imposition.

For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, on and after July 1, 2008, each transient shall pay a tax in the amount of eight percent of the rent charged by the operator. The tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the City, which is extinguished only by payment to the operator or to the City. The transient shall pay the tax to the operator of the hotel at the time the rent is paid. The operator shall enter the tax on his/her records when rent is collected, if the operator keeps his/her records on the cash accounting basis, and when earned if the operator keeps his/her records on the accrual accounting basis. If rent is paid in installments, a proportionate share of the tax shall be paid by the transient or the operator with each installment. If for any reason the tax due is not paid to the operator of the hotel, the Finance Officer may require that such tax be paid directly to the City. In all cases, the rent paid or charged for occupancy shall exclude the sale of any goods, services and commodities, other than the furnishing of rooms, accommodations, and parking space in mobile home parks or trailer parks. [Ord. 874 § 4, 2008.]

3.05.050 Exemptions.

No tax is imposed under this chapter:

1. Upon any occupant for more than 30 successive calendar days. A person who pays for lodging on a monthly basis, irrespective of the number of days in such month, shall not be deemed a transient;

2. Upon any occupant whose rent is of a value less than $20.00 per day;

3. Upon any person who rents a private home, vacation cabin or like facility from any owner who rents such facilities incidentally to his/her own use thereof;

4. Upon a person residing at a church camp or other nonprofit facility;

5. Upon any occupant or patient in a hospital, medical clinic, convalescent home, homeless shelter or other care facility. [Ord. 906 § 1, 2012; Ord. 884 § 2, 2010; Ord. 874 § 5, 2008.]

3.05.060 Registration.

Every person engaging or about to engage in business as an operator of a hotel in the City shall register with the Finance Officer on a form provided by him/her. Operators engaged in business at the time the ordinance codified in this chapter is adopted must register not later than 30 calendar days after passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter. Operators starting business after the ordinance codified in this chapter is adopted must register within 15 calendar days after commencing business. The privilege of registration after the date of imposition of such tax shall not relieve any person from the obligation of payment or collection of tax regardless of registration. Registration shall set forth the name under which an operator transacts or intends to transact business, the location of his/her place or places of business and such other information to facilitate the collection of the tax as the Finance Officer may require. The registration shall be signed by the operator. [Ord. 874 § 6, 2008.]

3.05.070 Operator – Certificate of authority.

1. The Finance Officer shall, within 10 days after registration, issue without charge a certificate of authority to each registrant to collect the tax from the occupant, together with a duplicate thereof for each additional place of business of each registrant. Certificates shall be nonassignable and nontransferable and shall be surrendered immediately to the Finance Officer upon the cessation of business at the location named or upon its sale or transfer. Each certificate and duplicate shall state the place of business to which it is applicable and shall be prominently displayed therein so as to be seen and come to the notice readily of all occupants and persons seeking occupancy.

2. Said certificate shall, among other things, state the following:

a. The name of the operator;

b. The address of the hotel;

c. The date upon which the certificate was issued;

d. As follows:

This Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate signifies that the person named on the face hereof has fulfilled the requirements of the Transient Room Tax Ordinance of the City of Harrisburg by registration with the Finance Officer for the purpose of collecting from transients the room tax imposed by said City and remitting said tax to the Finance Officer. This certificate does not authorize any person to conduct any unlawful business or to conduct any unlawful business in any unlawful manner, or to operate a hotel without strictly complying with all local applicable laws including but not limited to those requiring a permit from any board, commission, department or office of the City of Harrisburg. This certificate does not constitute a permit.

[Ord. 874 § 7, 2008.]

3.05.080 Operator – Duties.

Each operator shall collect the tax imposed by this chapter at the same time as the rent is collected from every transient. The amount of tax shall be separately stated upon the operator’s records, and any receipt rendered by the operator. No operator of a hotel shall advertise that the tax or any part of the tax will be assumed or absorbed by the operator, or that it will not be added to the rent, or that, when added, any part will be refunded, except in the manner provided by this chapter. [Ord. 874 § 8, 2008.]

3.05.090 Operator – Recordkeeping.

Every operator shall keep guest records of room sales and accounting books and records of the room sales. All records shall be retained by the operator for a period of three years and six months after they come into being. [Ord. 874 § 9, 2008.]

3.05.100 Operator – Collection.

1. Every operator renting rooms in the City, the occupancy of which is not exempted under the terms of this chapter, shall collect a tax from the occupant. The tax collected or accrued by the operator constitutes a debt owing by the operator to the City.

2. In all cases of credit or deferred payment of rent, the payment of tax to the operator may be deferred until the rent is paid, and the operator shall not be liable for the tax until credits are paid or deferred payments are made. [Ord. 874 § 10, 2008.]

3.05.110 Due date – Returns and payments.

1. The tax imposed by this chapter shall be paid by the transient to the operator at the time that rent is paid. All amounts of such taxes collected by any operator are due and payable to the Finance Officer on a monthly basis on the fifteenth day of the month for the preceding month, and are delinquent on the last day of the month in which they are due.

2. On or before the fifteenth day of the month following each month of collection, a return for the preceding month’s tax collections shall be filed with the Finance Officer. The return shall be filed in such form as the Finance Officer may prescribe by every operator liable for payment of tax.

3. Returns shall show the amount of tax collected or otherwise due for the related period. The Finance Officer may require returns to show the total rentals upon which tax was collected or otherwise due, gross receipts of the operator for such period and an explanation in detail of any discrepancy between such amounts and the amount of rents exempt, if any.

4. After the gross tax has been calculated by the operator, the operator shall retain five percent of the gross tax as compensation for the recordkeeping services provided.

5. The person required to file the return shall deliver the return, together with the remittance of the amount of the tax due, to the Finance Officer at his/her office either by personal delivery or by mail. If the return is mailed, the postmark shall be considered the date of delivery for determining delinquencies.

6. For good cause, the Finance Officer may extend for not to exceed one month the time for making any return or payment of tax. No further extension shall be granted, except by the City Council. Any operator to whom an extension is granted shall pay interest at the rate of one percent per month on the amount of tax due without proration for a fraction of a month. If a return is not filed and the tax and interest due are not paid by the end of extension granted, then the interest shall become a part of the tax for computation of penalties described elsewhere in this chapter.

7. The Finance Officer, if he/she deems it necessary in order to ensure payment or facilitate collection by the City of the amount of taxes in any individual case, may require returns and payment of the amount of taxes for other than monthly periods. [Ord. 874 § 11, 2008.]

3.05.120 Penalties and interest.

1. Original Delinquency. Any operator who has not been granted an extension of time for remittance of tax due and who fails to remit any tax imposed by this chapter prior to delinquency shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax due in addition to the amount of the tax.

2. Continued Delinquency. Any operator who has not been granted an extension of time for remittance of tax due and who failed to pay any delinquent remittance on or before a period of 30 days following the date on which the remittance first became delinquent shall pay a second delinquency penalty of 15 percent of the amount of the tax due plus the amount of the tax and the 10 percent penalty first imposed.

3. Fraud. If the Finance Officer determines that the nonpayment of any remittance due under this chapter is due to fraud or intent to evade the provisions thereof, a penalty of 25 percent of the amount of the tax shall be added thereto in addition to the penalties stated in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

4. Interest. In addition to the penalties imposed, any operator who fails to remit any tax imposed by this chapter shall pay interest at the rate of one-half of one percent per month or fraction thereof without proration for portions of a month on the amount of the tax due, exclusive of penalties, from the date on which the remittance first became delinquent until paid.

5. Penalties Merged with Tax. Every penalty imposed and such interest as accrues under the provisions of this section shall be merged with and become part of the tax required in this chapter to be paid.

6. Petition for Waiver. Any operator who fails to remit the tax levied in this chapter within the time stated in this chapter shall pay the penalties stated in this chapter; provided, however, the operator may petition the City Council for waiver and refund of the penalty or any portion thereof, and the City Council may, if a good and sufficient reason is shown, waive and direct a refund of the penalty or any portion thereof. [Ord. 874 § 12, 2008.]

3.05.130 Deficiency determination.

1. Computation. If the Finance Officer determines that the returns are incorrect, he/she may compute and determine the amount required to be paid upon the basis of the facts contained in the return or returns or upon the basis of any information within his/her possession or that may come into his/her possession. One or more deficiency determinations may be made of the amount due for one or more than one period, and the amount so determined shall be due and payable immediately upon service of notice as provided in this chapter after which the amount determined is delinquent. Penalties on deficiencies shall be applied as set forth in HMC 3.05.120.

2. Underpayments. In making a determination, the Finance Officer may offset overpayments, if any, which may have been previously made for a period or periods against any underpayment for a subsequent period or periods, or against penalties and interest on the underpayments. The interest on underpayments shall be computed in the manner set forth in HMC 3.05.120(4).

3. Service of Notice. The Finance Officer shall give to the operator or occupant a written notice of his/her determination. The notice may be served personally or by mail. If served by mail, the notice shall be addressed to the operator at his/her address as it appears in the records of the Finance Officer. In case of service by mail of any notice required by this chapter, the service is complete at the time of deposit in the United States Post Office.

4. Time Limit. Except in the case of fraud or intent to evade this chapter or authorized rules and regulations, every deficiency determination shall be made and notice thereof mailed within three years after the last day of the month following the close of the monthly period for which the amount is proposed to be determined or within three years after the return is filed, whichever period expires the later.

5. Redemption Petition. Any determination shall become due and payable immediately upon receipt of notice and shall become final within 10 days after the Finance Officer has given notice thereof; provided, however, the operator may petition redemption and refund if the petition is filed before the determination becomes final as provided in this chapter.

6. Fraud, Refusal to Collect, Evasion. If any operator fails or refuses to collect said tax or to make, within the time provided in this chapter, any report and remittance of said tax or any portion thereof required by this chapter, or makes fraudulent return or otherwise willfully attempts to evade this chapter, the Finance Officer shall proceed in such manner as he/she may deem best to obtain facts and information on which to base an estimate of the tax due. As soon as the Finance Officer has determined the tax due that is imposed by this chapter from any operator who has failed or refused to collect the same and to report and remit said tax, he/she shall proceed to determine and assess against such operator the tax, interest and penalties provided for by this chapter. In case such determination is made, the Finance Officer shall give a notice in the manner described in this chapter of the amount so assessed. Such determination and notice shall be made and mailed within three years after discovery by the Finance Officer of any fraud, intent to evade or failure or refusal to collect said tax, or failure to file the return. Any determination shall become due and payable immediately upon receipt of notice and shall become final within 10 days after the Finance Officer has given notice thereof; provided, however, the operator may petition redemption and refund if the petition is filed before the determination becomes final as provided in this chapter.

7. Operator Delay. If the Finance Officer believes that the collection of any tax or any amount of tax required to be collected and paid to the City will be jeopardized by delay, or if any determination will be jeopardized by delay, he/she shall thereupon make a determination of the tax amount required to be collected, noting the fact upon the determination. The amount so determined as provided in this chapter shall be immediately due and payable, and the operator shall immediately pay the same determination to the Finance Officer after service of notice thereof; provided, however, the operator may petition after payment has been made for redemption and refund of such determination, if the petition is filed within 10 days from the date of service of notice by the Finance Officer. [Ord. 874 § 13, 2008.]

3.05.140 Redetermination.

1. Any person against whom a determination is made under HMC 3.05.130 or any person directly interested may petition for a redetermination of redemption and refund within the time required in HMC 3.05.130(5) and (6). If a petition for redetermination and refund is not filed within the time required, the determination becomes final at the expiration of the allowable time.

2. If a petition for redetermination and refund is filed within the allowable period, the Finance Officer shall reconsider the determination and, if the person has so requested in his/her petition, shall grant the person an oral hearing and shall give him/her 10 days’ notice of the time and place of the hearing. The Finance Officer may continue the hearing from time to time as may be necessary.

3. The Finance Officer may decrease or increase the amount of the determination as a result of the hearing, and if an increase is determined, such increase shall be payable immediately after the hearing.

4. The order or decision of the Finance Officer upon a petition for redetermination of redemption and refund becomes final 10 days after service upon the petitioner of notice thereof, unless appeal of such order or decision is filed with the City Council within the 10 days after service of such notice.

5. No petition for redetermination of redemption and refund or appeal therefrom shall be effective for any purpose unless the operator has first complied with the payment provisions of this chapter. [Ord. 874 § 14, 2008.]

3.05.150 Security for collection.

1. The Finance Officer, whenever he/she deems it necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter, may require any operator subject thereto to deposit with him/her such security in the form of cash, bond or other security as the Finance Officer may determine. The amount of the security shall be fixed by the Finance Officer but shall not be greater than twice the operator’s estimated average monthly liability for the period for which he/she files returns, determined in such manner as the Finance Officer deems proper, or $20,000, whichever amount is the lesser. The amount of the security may be increased or decreased by the Finance Officer subject to the limitations provided in this chapter.

2. At any time within three years after any tax or any amount of tax required to be collected becomes due and payable or at any time within three years after any determination becomes final, the Finance Officer may bring an action in the courts of this State, or any other state, or of the United States in the name of the City to collect the amount delinquent, together with penalties and interest. [Ord. 874 § 15, 2008.]

3.05.160 Lien.

1. The tax imposed by this chapter, together with the interest and penalties provided in this chapter and the filing fees paid to the Department of Records of Linn County, Oregon, and advertising costs which may be incurred when the same becomes delinquent as set forth in this chapter, shall be and, until paid, remain a lien from the date of its recording with the Department of Records of Linn County, Oregon, and shall be superior to all subsequent recorded liens on all tangible personal property used in the hotel of an operator within the City and may be necessary to discharge said lien, if the lien has been recorded with the Department of Records of Linn County, Oregon. Notice of the lien may be issued by the Finance Officer or his/her deputy whenever the operator is in default in the payment of said tax, interest and penalty and shall be recorded with the Department of Records of Linn County, Oregon, and a copy sent to the delinquent operator. The personal property subject to such lien seized by any deputy or employee of the Finance Officer may be sold by the department seizing the same at public auction after 10 days’ notice, which shall mean one publication in a newspaper published in the City.

2. Any lien for taxes as shown on the records of the proper county official shall, upon the payment of all taxes, penalties and interest thereon, be released by the Finance Officer when the full amount determined to be due has been paid to the City and the operator or person making such payment has received a receipt therefor stating that the full amount of taxes, penalties and interest thereon have been paid and that the lien is thereby released and the record of lien is satisfied. [Ord. 874 § 16, 2008.]

3.05.170 Refunds.

1. Operator Refunds. Whenever the amount of any tax, penalty or interest has been paid more than once or has been erroneously or illegally collected or received by the Finance Officer under this chapter, it may be refunded, provided a verified claim in writing therefor stating the specific reason upon which the claim is founded is filed with the Finance Officer within three years from the date of payment. The claim shall be made on forms provided by the Finance Officer. If the claim is approved by the Finance Officer, the excess amount collected or paid may be refunded or may be credited on any amounts then due and payable from the operator from whom it was collected or by whom paid, and the balance may be refunded to such operator, his/her administrators, executors or assignees.

2. Transient Refunds. Whenever the tax required by this chapter has been collected by the operator and deposited by the operator with the Finance Officer, and it is later determined that the tax was erroneously or illegally collected or received by the Finance Officer, it may be refunded by the Finance Officer to the transient, provided a verified claim in writing therefor stating the specific reason on which the claim is founded is filed with the Finance Officer within three years from the date of payment. [Ord. 874 § 17, 2008.]

3.05.180 Examination of records and investigations.

The Finance Officer or any person authorized in writing by him/her may examine during normal business hours the books, papers and accounting records relating to room sales of any operator after notification to the operator liable for the tax and may investigate the business of the operator in order to verify the accuracy of any return made or, if no return is made by the operator, to ascertain and determine the amount required to be paid. [Ord. 874 § 18, 2008.]

3.05.190 Disclosure of confidential information.

It is unlawful for the Finance Officer or any person having an administrative or clerical duty under the provisions of this chapter to make known in any manner whatever the business affairs, operations or information obtained by an investigation of records and equipment of any person required to obtain a transient occupancy registration certificate or pay a transient occupancy tax, or any other person visited or examined in the discharge of official duty, or the amount or source of income, profits, losses, expenditures or any particular thereof set forth in any statement or application, or to permit any statement or application, or copy of either, or any book containing any abstract or particulars thereof to be seen or examined by any person; provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent:

1. The disclosure to or the examination of records and equipment by another City official, employee or agent for collection of taxes for the sole purposes of administering or enforcing any provisions of the chapter or collecting taxes imposed under this chapter;

2. The disclosure after the filing of a written request to that effect, to the taxpayer himself/herself, receivers, trustees, executors, administrators, assignees and guarantors, if directly interested, of information as to any paid tax, any unpaid tax or amount of tax required to be collected, or interest, and penalties; further provided, however, that the City Attorney approves each such disclosure and that the Finance Officer may refuse to make any disclosure referred to in this subsection when in his/her opinion the public interest would suffer thereby;

3. The disclosure of the names and addresses of any persons to whom transient occupancy registration certificates have been issued;

4. The disclosure of general statistics regarding taxes collected or business done in the City. [Ord. 874 § 19, 2008.]

3.05.200 Appeals to City Council.

Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Finance Officer may appeal to the City Council by filing a notice of appeal with the Finance Officer within 10 days of the serving or the mailing of the notice of the decision given by the Finance Officer. The Finance Officer shall transmit said notice of appeal, together with the file of said appealed matter, to the City Council, who shall fix a time and place for hearing such appeal. The City Council shall give the appellant not less than 10 days’ written notice of the time and place of the hearing of said appealed matter. Action by the City Council on appeals shall be decided by a majority of the members of the Council present at the meeting where such appeal is considered. [Ord. 874 § 20, 2008.]

3.05.210 Enforcement.

The Finance Officer shall enforce provisions of this chapter and shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with this chapter as may be necessary to aid in the enforcement. [Ord. 874 § 21, 2008.]

3.05.220 Violations – Designated.

It is unlawful for any operator or other person so required to fail or refuse to furnish a supplemental return or other data required by the Finance Officer or to render a false or fraudulent return. No person required to make, render, sign or verify any report shall make any false or fraudulent report with intent to defeat or evade the determination of any amount due required by this chapter. [Ord. 874 § 22, 2008.]

3.05.230 Violations – Penalty.

Any violation of this chapter shall be considered a violation punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00 per offense. Any person, firm, or corporation violating the provisions of this chapter shall be considered to be in continuing violation of this chapter for each day during which the violation occurs after notice of violation has been served upon the violator. Any penalty under this section shall be in addition to any late charges or other penalties specified in this chapter. [Ord. 874 § 23, 2008.]

Code reviser’s note: Section 1 of Ordinance No. 884 provides, “The Transient Room Tax created by Ordinance No. 874 shall not apply to any existing lodging business in the City of Harrisburg between [February 10, 2010] and March 1, 2011.”