[Adopted 4-9-1979; amended in its entirety 8-5-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-05]
A.
Unless
otherwise provided herein, the owner and operator of each wholesale,
retail, commercial, professional service and manufacturing business,
whether a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or any business
entity, shall register his or her business situated in the Town of
Smithfield with the Tax Assessor of the Town of Smithfield. Each registration
shall contain the name of the business, the name of the owner(s) and
operator(s) of the business, the type of business to be conducted,
and other basic information as required by said Tax Assessor.
B.
There
shall be a fee for each registration and for each annual renewal thereof.
The registration fee shall be $5. It shall be unlawful for a person
to own or operate a business described herein in the Town of Smithfield
without a registration certificate issued hereunder.
C.
Upon proper
registration of a business, a registration certificate shall be issued
to the registrant by the Tax Assessor. No other business of the same
trade name shall be allowed to register once a certificate of registration
has been issued without the approval of the prior registrant in writing.
Every registration certificate shall expire on the 31st day in December
and shall be renewed annually upon payment of the required fee. No
certificate shall be issued or renewed if the business fails to provide
proof from the Tax Collector that all municipal taxes assessed to
the business, including municipal taxes assessed to any prior business
owned or operated by one or more of the principals of the registrant
at the same physical location, have been paid to date. Every certificate
of registration shall be kept in a conspicuous location on the premises
of each business establishment.
D.
Any business
required to obtain a liquor, victualing or any other license to operate
under any section of the Rhode Island General Laws, a condition of
which is the prior payment of Smithfield municipal taxes, shall be
exempt from the requirements of this article.
E.
Any person,
whether as principal, agent, employee, or otherwise, who violates
any of the provisions of this chapter shall be fined not to exceed
$25 for each month or fraction thereof that the violation continues;
provided, however, that the fine shall not exceed $300. The Rhode
Island District Court and the Smithfield Municipal Court shall have
concurrent jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this statute.
In addition to imposing the fines provided for herein, the Rhode Island
District Court and the Smithfield Municipal Court may order the closure
of any business described herein until a registration certificate
is obtained. The fines shall inure to the Town.
