The fees for a solicitor's license shall be $5 per day, $10 per week, $25 per month, or $50 per year. This fee may be changed by resolution of the City Council from time to time. No fee for a solicitor's license shall be so applied as to occasion an undue burden upon interstate commerce. In any case where a license fee is believed by a licensee or applicant for a license to place an undue burden upon interstate commerce, he may apply to the City Manager for an adjustment of the fee so that it shall not be discriminatory, unreasonable or unfair as to such commerce. Such application may be made before, at or within 6 months after payment of the prescribed license fee. The applicant shall, by affidavit and supporting testimony, show his method of business and gross volume or estimated gross volume of business and such other information as the City Manager may deem necessary in order to determine the extent, if any, of such undue burden on such commerce. The City Manager shall then conduct an investigation, comparing the applicant's business with other businesses of like nature, and shall make findings of fact from which he shall determine whether the fee fixed for the solicitor's license is unfair, unreasonable or discriminatory as to the applicant's business and shall fix as the license fee for the applicant an amount that is fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory or, if the fee has already been paid, shall order a refund of the amount over and above the fee so fixed. In fixing the fee to be charged, the City Manager shall have the power to base the fee upon a percentage of gross sales or any other method which will ensure that the fee assessed shall be uniform with that assessed on businesses of like nature, so long as the amount assessed does not exceed the fee as prescribed. Should the City Manager determine the gross sales measure of the fee to be the fair basis, he may require the applicant to submit, either at the time of termination of the applicant's business in the city or at the end of each 3 month period, a sworn statement of the gross sales and pay the amount of fee therefor, provided that no additional fee during any 1 license year shall be required after the licensee shall have paid an amount equal to the annual license fee.
(1993 Code, § 46-4)