CC SR 20191217 D - Business LicenseMEETING DATE: 12/17/2019 CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action regarding the annual business license tax
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Do not increase the City’s business license tax rate for 2020.
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: Angelina Garcia, Interim Director of Finance
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, Interim City Manager
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
As required by Section 5.04.050 of the City’s Municipal Code, 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 (BLT).
This annual report is the result of the City Council adopting Staff’s recommendation
on January 17, 2017 to consider discontinuing the practice of automatically
increasing the BLT annually by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflator. In addition,
Staff recommended the City Council direct Staff to bring the BLT increase option
back to the City Council annually for direction.
At this time, Staff recommends the 2020 BLT remain unchanged from the 2019
rate. The state fee for the Certified Disability Access Specialist Program, which
increased from $1 to $4 annually in 2018, will remain at $4 in 2020. This state-
mandated fee is used to increase disability access and compliance with
construction-related accessibility requirements.
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Business License Components
As a reminder, here are the primary components of the BLT:
1) A minimum tax based on the location a business operates (i.e., located
inside/outside the City and/or physical presence within the City) and the type of
work or service performed. See item 3 regarding the elimination of BLT for home
occupancy businesses.
2) A flat rate tied to a business’s gross receipts. This rate is also multiplied for every
$1,000 in gross receipts in excess of $50,000. This rate applies to businesses
physically located inside or outside the City. Contractors, itinerant vendors,
builders, developers, and operators of commercial vehicles (i.e., taxis) are
exempt.
3) Effective September 6, 2019, the City Council voted to reduce the annual BLT for
home occupancy businesses to $0 for 2020.
Despite the recommendation to not increase the BLT, revenue of $904,100 is still
expected in Fiscal Year 2019-20.
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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