CC SR 20180807 O - Business License TaxRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/07/2018
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to receive information related to the collection of the
Business License Tax from businesses not located within the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file this report related to the Business License Tax collected from
businesses not located within the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
FISCAL IMPACT: If the recommended action is approved, there will be no change to
the adopted budget.
Amount Budgeted: $904,100
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): 101-300-0000-3210
ORIGINATED BY: Christopher Browning, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Deborah Cullen, Director of Finance
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City Manager
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
In January 2018, Council Member Cruikshank requested that Staff prepare a report
regarding the requirement for outside businesses paying the City’s Business License
Tax (BLT). He was primarily concerned with the Municipal Code provision that requires
a BLT to be paid by businesses that are not physically located within the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes, but provide services from their location outside the City.
As required by the City’s Municipal Code, Section 5.04.050, all business activity
performed within the City of Rancho Palos Verdes requires the business owner to
obtain a business license and to pay the related business license tax.
In general, the City has a passive approach to collecting the BLT. If the business is not
physically located within the City, the BLT would be identified and collected only when a
business activity requires an interaction with the City. For example, businesses that
come to either the Public Works or Community Development counter to request a
permit or inspection, etc. At that time, they would be asked if they have a valid business
license and if they do not they would be required to pay for a business license at that
time.
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In 2017, the City issued 301 business licenses to outside businesses. Of these outside
businesses, 214 paid the base rate of $152.00 and did not report gross receipts. The
largest percentage of outside businesses are based in Torrance making up 10.3% of all
outside businesses. Los Angeles and San Pedro are home to the next largest
concentrations with 5.6% and 5% respectively. Landscaping/gardening, towing, design,
architecture, inspection and consulting are some of the most common services offered
by these outside businesses.
Below is a chart showing the various business types that paid BLT in 2017:
During Calendar Year 2017, $931,206 in BLT was collected from a total of 1,998
businesses. The 301 outside businesses made up approximately 15% of total business
licenses issued and 7.9% of total BLT revenue with $73,396.
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BLT revenue has remained stable over the past two fiscal years, after seeing a $90,000
increase in fiscal year revenue from FY15-16 to FY16-17. For FY18-19, $904,100 in
BLT revenue has been budgeted and is consistent with the two prior fiscal years. Over
the three fiscal years spanning FY16-17 through FY18-19, BLT has made up
approximately 3% of total General Fund tax revenue. This is up slightly from the
average of 2.8% over the 3-year period of FY13-14 through FY15-16.
2.5%
2.6%
2.7%
2.8%
2.9%
3.0%
3.1%
3.2%
$650,000
$700,000
$750,000
$800,000
$850,000
$900,000
$950,000
FY 2013-14 FY 2014-15 FY 2015-16 FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18
PROJECTED
YEAR-END
DRAFT BUDGET
FY 2018-19
Fiscal Year Business License Trends
Business License Tax Revenue BL % of Total Operating Revenue
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ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Take other action as deemed appropriate by the City Council.
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