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Grove City Overview
Grove City, Ohio Code of Ordinances
Codified Ordinances of the City of Grove City, Ohio
PRELIMINARY UNIT
GENERAL INDEX
COMPARATIVE SECTION TABLE
TABLES OF SPECIAL ORDINANCES
CHARTER of the CITY OF GROVE CITY, OHIO
PART ONE - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
PART THREE - TRAFFIC CODE
PART FIVE - GENERAL OFFENSES CODE
PART SEVEN - BUSINESS REGULATION CODE
PART NINE - STREETS, UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES CODE
PART ELEVEN - PLANNING AND ZONING CODE
PART THIRTEEN - BUILDING CODE
PART FOURTEEN - HOUSING CODE
PART FIFTEEN - FIRE PREVENTION CODE
CHAPTER 194
Income Tax Effective Beginning January 1, 2016
194.01   Authority to levy tax; purpose of tax.
194.02   Definitions.
194.03   Imposition of tax.
194.04   Collection at source.
194.05   Annual return; filing.
194.06   Credit for tax paid.
194.07   Estimated taxes.
194.08   Rounding of amounts.
194.09   Requests for refunds.
194.10   Second municipality imposing tax after time period allowed for refund.
194.11   Amended returns.
194.12   Limitations.
194.13   Audits.
194.14   Service of assessment.
194.15   Administration of claims.
194.16   Tax information confidential
194.17   Fraud.
194.18   Interest and penalties.
194.19   Authority of Tax Administrator; verification of information.
194.20   Request for opinion of the Tax Administrator.
194.21   Board of Tax Review.
194.22   Authority to create rules and regulations.
194.23   (Removed).
194.24   Savings clause.
194.25   Collection of tax after termination of chapter.
194.26   Adoption of RITA rules and regulations.
194.27   Correspondence from the Tax Administrator.
Effective for Tax Years Beginning on or After January 1, 2018
194.80   Filing Net Profit Taxes; Election to be subject to Sections 194.80 to 194.95.
194.81   Definitions.
194.82   Applicability; taxable situs; apportionment.
194.83   Certification of amounts to be paid to municipalities.
194.84   Information provided to tax administrators; confidentiality.
194.841   Web portal information sharing.
194.85   Filing of annual return; remittance; disposition of funds.
194.851   Electronic filing.
194.86   Consolidated returns.
194.87   Failure to pay tax.
194.88   Declaration of estimated taxes.
194.89   Additional penalties.
194.90   Assessments against taxpayer.
194.91   Refund applications.
194.92   Amended returns.
194.93   Examination of records and other documents and persons.
194.94   Credits.
194.95   Reckless violations; penalties.
194.99   Violations; penalties.
   CROSS REFERENCES
   Income Tax Regulations Effective Through December 31, 2015, see ADM. Chap. 191
194.01   AUTHORITY TO LEVY TAX; PURPOSE OF TAX.
   (a)   To provide funds for the purposes of general municipal operations, maintenance, new equipment, extension and enlargement of municipal services and facilities and capital improvements, the City of Grove City hereby levies an annual municipal income tax on income, qualifying wages, commissions and other compensation, and on net profits as hereinafter provided.
   (b)   The annual tax is levied at a rate of two percent (2%). The tax is levied at a uniform rate on all persons residing in or earning or receiving income in Grove City. The tax is levied on income, qualifying wages, commissions and other compensation, and on net profits as hereinafter provided in Section 194.03 of this chapter and other sections as they may apply.
   (c)   The tax on income and the withholding tax established by this Chapter 194 are authorized by Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution. The tax is levied in accordance with, and is intended to be consistent with, the provisions and limitations of Ohio Revised Code (“ORC”) 718. This chapter is effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2016. Taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2015 are subject to the provisions of Chapter 191.
(Ord. C85-15. Passed 11-16-15.)
194.02   DEFINITIONS.
   (a)   Any term used in this chapter that is not otherwise defined in this chapter has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in laws of the United States relating to federal income taxation or in Title LVII of the ORC, unless a different meaning is clearly required. Except as provided in Section 194.81 of the Codified Ordinances of Grover City, if a term used in this chapter that is not otherwise defined in this chapter is used in a comparable context in both the laws of the United States relating to federal income tax and in Title LVII of the ORC and the use is not consistent, then the use of the term in the laws of the United States relating to federal income tax shall control over the use of the term in Title LVII of the ORC. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
   (b)   The singular shall include the plural, and the masculine shall include the feminine and the gender-neutral.
   (c)   As used in this chapter:
      (1)   “Adjusted federal taxable income,” for a person required to file as a C corporation, or for a person that has elected to be taxed as a C corporation under subsection (c)(24)E., means a C corporation’s federal taxable income before net operating losses and special deductions as determined under the Internal Revenue Code, adjusted as follows: (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
         A.   Deduct intangible income to the extent included in federal taxable income. The deduction shall be allowed regardless of whether the intangible income relates to assets used in a trade or business or assets held for the production of income.
         B.   Add an amount equal to five percent (5%) of intangible income deducted under subsection (c)(1)A., but excluding that portion of intangible income directly related to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of property described in Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code;
         C.   Add any losses allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income if the losses directly relate to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of an asset described in Section 1221 or 1231 of the Internal Revenue Code;
         D.   1.   Except as provided in subsection (c)(l)D.2., deduct income and gain included in federal taxable income to the extent the income and gain directly relate to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of an asset described in Section 1221 or 1231 of the Internal Revenue Code;
            2.   Subsection (c)(l)D.1. does not apply to the extent the income or gain is income or gain described in Section 1245 or 1250 of the Internal Revenue Code.
         E.   Add taxes on or measured by net income allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income;
         F.   In the case of a real estate investment trust or regulated investment company, add all amounts with respect to dividends to, distributions to, or amounts set aside for or credited to the benefit of investors and allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income;
         G.   Deduct, to the extent not otherwise deducted or excluded in computing federal taxable income, any income derived from a transfer agreement or from the enterprise transferred under that agreement under Section 4313.02 of the ORC;
         H.   Deduct exempt income to the extent not otherwise deducted or excluded in computing adjusted federal taxable income. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
         I.   Deduct any net profit of a pass-through entity owned directly or indirectly by the taxpayer and included in the taxpayer’s federal taxable income unless an affiliated group of corporations includes that net profit in the group’s federal taxable income in accordance with Section 194.05(v)(3)B.
         J.   Add any loss incurred by a pass-through entity owned directly or indirectly by the taxpayer and included in the taxpayer's federal taxable income unless an affiliated group of corporations includes that loss in the group’s federal taxable income in accordance with Section 194.05(v)(3)B.
            If the taxpayer is not a C corporation, is not a disregarded entity that has made an election described in subsection (c)(48)B., is not a publicly traded partnership that has made the election described in subsection (c)(24)E., and is not an individual, the taxpayer shall compute adjusted federal taxable income under this section as if the taxpayer were a C corporation, except guaranteed payments and other similar amounts paid or accrued to a partner, former partner, shareholder, former shareholder, member, or former member shall not be allowed as a deductible expense unless such payments are a pension or retirement benefit payment paid to a retired partner, retired shareholder, or retired member or are in consideration for the use of capital and treated as payment of interest under Section 469 of the Internal Revenue Code or United States treasury regulations. Amounts paid or accrued to a qualified self-employed retirement plan with respect to a partner, former partner, shareholder, former shareholder, member, or former member of the taxpayer, amounts paid or accrued to or for health insurance for a partner, former partner, shareholder, former shareholder, member, or former member, and amounts paid or accrued to or for life insurance for a partner, former partner, shareholder, former shareholder, member, or former member shall not be allowed as a deduction.
            Nothing in subsection (c)(1) shall be construed as allowing the taxpayer to add or deduct any amount more than once or shall be construed as allowing any taxpayer to deduct any amount paid to or accrued for purposes of federal self-employment tax. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18; Ord. C46-23. Passed 11-20-23.)
      (2)   A.   “Assessment” means a written finding by the Tax Administrator that a person has underpaid municipal income tax, or owes penalty and interest, or any combination of tax, penalty, or interest, to the municipal corporation that commences the person’s time limitation for making an appeal to the Board of Tax Review pursuant to Section 194.21, and has “ASSESSMENT” written in all capital letters at the top of such finding.
         B.   “Assessment” does not include a notice denying a request for refund issued under Section 194.09 (c)(3), a billing statement notifying a taxpayer of current or past-due balances owed to the municipal corporation, a Tax Administrator's request for additional information, a notification to the taxpayer of mathematical errors, or a Tax Administrator’s other written correspondence to a person or taxpayer that does not meet the criteria prescribed by subsection (c)(2)A.
      (3)   “Audit” means the examination of a person or the inspection of the books, records, memoranda, or accounts of a person, ordered to appear before the Tax Administrator, for the purpose of determining liability for a municipal income tax.
      (4)   “Board of Tax Review” or “Board of Review” or “Board of Tax Appeals”, or other named local board constituted to hear appeals of municipal income tax matters, means the entity created under Section 194.21.
      (5)   “Calendar quarter” means the three (3) month period ending on the last day of March, June, September, or December.
      (6)   “Casino operator” and “casino facility” have the same meanings as in Section 3772.01 of the ORC.
      (7)   “Certified mail,” “express mail,” “United States mail,” “postal service,” and similar terms include any delivery service authorized pursuant to Section 5703.056 of the ORC.
      (8)   “Disregarded entity” means a single member limited liability company, a qualifying subchapters subsidiary, or another entity if the company, subsidiary, or entity is a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes.
      (9)   “Domicile” means the true, fixed, and permanent home of a taxpayer and to which, whenever absent, the taxpayer intends to return. A taxpayer may have more than one residence but not more than one domicile.
      (10)   “Employee” means an individual who is an employee for federal income tax purposes.
      (11)   “Employer” means a person that is an employer for federal income tax purposes.
      (12)   “Exempt income” means all of the following:
         A.   The military pay or allowances of members of the armed forces of the United States or members of their reserve components, including the national guard of any state.
         B.   Intangible income.
         C.   Social security benefits, railroad retirement benefits, unemployment compensation, pensions, retirement benefit payments, payments from annuities, and similar payments made to an employee or to the beneficiary of an employee under a retirement program or plan, disability payments received from private industry or local, state, or federal governments or from charitable, religious or educational organizations, and the proceeds of sickness, accident, or liability insurance policies. As used in subsection (c)(12)C., “unemployment compensation” does not include supplemental unemployment compensation described in Section 3402(o)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
         D.   The income of religious, fraternal, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational institutions to the extent such income is derived from tax-exempt real estate, tax-exempt tangible or intangible property, or tax-exempt activities.
         E.   Compensation paid under Section 3501.28 or 3501.36 of the ORC to a person serving as a precinct election official to the extent that such compensation does not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the taxable year. Such compensation in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the taxable year may be subject to taxation by a municipal corporation. A municipal corporation shall not require the payer of such compensation to withhold any tax from that compensation.
         F.   Dues, contributions, and similar payments received by charitable, religious, educational, or literary organizations or labor unions, lodges, and similar organizations;
         G.   Alimony and child support received.
         H.   Compensation for personal injuries or for damages to property from insurance proceeds or otherwise, excluding compensation paid for lost salaries or wages or compensation from punitive damages.
         I.   Income of a public utility when that public utility is subject to the tax levied under Section 5727.24 or 5727.30 of the ORC. Subsection (c)(12)I. does not apply for purposes of Chapter 5745 of the ORC.
         J.   Gains from involuntary conversions, interest on federal obligations, items of income subject to a tax levied by the state and that a municipal corporation is specifically prohibited by law from taxing, and income of a decedent's estate during the period of administration except such income from the operation of a trade or business.
         K.   Compensation or allowances excluded from federal gross income under Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code.
         L.   Employee compensation that is not qualifying wages as defined in subsection (c)(35).
         M.   Compensation paid to a person employed within the boundaries of a United States air force base under the jurisdiction of the United States air force that is used for the housing of members of the United States air force and is a center for air force operations, unless the person is subject to taxation because of residence or domicile. If the compensation is subject to taxation because of residence or domicile, tax on such income shall be payable only to the municipal corporation of residence or domicile.
         N.   An S corporation shareholder’s share of net profits of the S corporation, other than any part of the share of net profits that represents wages as defined in Section 3121(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or net earnings from self-employment as defined in Section 1402(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
         O.   All of the income of individuals under eighteen (18) years of age.
         P.   1.   Except as provided in subsections (c)(12)P.1., 2., 3., and 4., qualifying wages described in Sections 194.04(c)(2) or (5) to the extent the qualifying wages are not subject to withholding for Grove City under either of those subsections.
            2.   The exemption provided in subsection (c)(12)P.1. does not apply with respect to the municipal corporation in which the employee resided at the time the employee earned the qualifying wages.
            3.   The exemption provided in subsection (c)(12)P.1. does not apply to qualifying wages that an employer elects to withhold under Section 194.04(c)(4)B.
            4.   The exemption provided in subsection (c)(12)P.1. does not apply to qualifying wages if both of the following conditions apply:
               a.   For qualifying wages described in Section 194.04(c)(2), the employee’s employer withholds and remits tax on the qualifying wages to the municipal corporation in which the employee’s principal place of work is situated, or, for qualifying wages described in Section 194.04(c)(5), the employee’s employer withholds and remits tax on the qualifying wages to the municipal corporation in which the employer’s fixed location is located;
               b.   The employee receives a refund of the tax described in subsection (c)(12)P.4.a. on the basis of the employee not performing services in that municipal corporation.
         Q.   1.   Except as provided in subsection (c)(12)Q.2. or 3., compensation that is not qualifying wages paid to a nonresident individual for personal services performed in Grove City on not more than twenty (20) days in a taxable year.
            2.   The exemption provided in subsection (c)(12)Q.1. does not apply under either of the following circumstances:
               a.   The individual’s base of operation is located in the municipal corporation.
               b.   The individual is a professional athlete, professional entertainer, or public figure, and the compensation is paid for the performance of services in the individual’s capacity as a professional athlete, professional entertainer, or public figure. For purposes of subsection (c)(12)Q.2.b., “professional athlete,” “professional entertainer,” and “public figure” have the same meanings as in 194.04(c).
            3.   Compensation to which subsection (c)(12)Q. applies shall be treated as earned or received at the individual’s base of operation. If the individual does not have a base of operation, the compensation shall be treated as earned or received where the individual is domiciled.
            4.   For purposes of subsection (c)(12)Q., “base of operation” means the location where an individual owns or rents an office, storefront, or similar facility to which the individual regularly reports and at which the individual regularly performs personal services for compensation.
         R.   Compensation paid to a person for personal services performed for a political subdivision on property owned by the political subdivision, regardless of whether the compensation is received by an employee of the subdivision or another person performing services for the subdivision under a contract with the subdivision, if the property on which services are performed is annexed to a municipal corporation pursuant to Section 709.023 of the ORC on or after March 27, 2013, unless the person is subject to such taxation because of residence. If the compensation is subject to taxation because of residence, municipal income tax shall be payable only to the municipal corporation of residence.
         S.   Income the taxation of which is prohibited by the Constitution or laws of the United States. Any item of income that is exempt income of a pass-through entity under subsection (c) is exempt income of each owner of the pass-through entity to the extent of that owner’s distributive or proportionate share of that item of the entity’s income.
      (13)   “Form 2106” Means Internal Revenue Service form 2106 filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
      (14)   “Generic form” means an electronic or paper form that is not prescribed by a particular municipal corporation and that is designed for reporting taxes withheld by an employer, agent of an employer, or other payer, estimated municipal income taxes, or annual municipal income tax liability or for filing a refund claim.
      (15)   “Gross receipts” means the total revenue derived from sales, work done, or service rendered.
      (16)   “Income” means the following:
         A.   1.   For residents, all income, salaries, qualifying wages, commissions, and other compensation from whatever source earned or received by the resident, including the resident’s distributive share of the net profit of pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the resident and any net profit of the resident, except as provided in subsection (c)(24)E. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
            2.   For the purposes of subsection (c)(16)A.1.:
               a.   Any net operating loss of the resident incurred in the taxable year and the resident’s distributive share of any net operating loss generated in the same taxable year and attributable to the resident’s ownership interest in a pass-through entity shall be allowed as a deduction, for that taxable year and the following five (5) taxable years, against any other net profit of the resident or the resident’s distributive share of any net profit attributable to the resident’s ownership interest in a pass-through entity until fully utilized, subject to subsection (c)(16)A.4.;
               b.   The resident’s distributive share of the net profit of each pass-through entity owned directly or indirectly by the resident shall be calculated without regard to any net operating loss that is carried forward by that entity from a prior taxable year and applied to reduce the entity’s net profit for the current taxable year.
            3.   Subsection (c)(16)A.2. does not apply with respect to any net profit or net operating loss attributable to an ownership interest in an S corporation unless shareholders’ shares of net profits from S corporations are subject to tax in the municipal corporation as provided in subsection (c)(12)N.
            4.   Any amount of a net operating loss used to reduce a taxpayer’s net profit for a taxable year shall reduce the amount of net operating loss that may be carried forward to any subsequent year for use by that taxpayer. In no event shall the cumulative deductions for all taxable years with respect to a taxpayer’s net operating loss exceed the original amount of that net operating loss available to that taxpayer.
         B.   In the case of nonresidents, all income, salaries, qualifying wages, commissions, and other compensation from whatever source earned or received by the nonresident for work done, services performed or rendered, or activities conducted in the municipal corporation, including any net profit of the nonresident, but excluding the nonresident’s distributive share of the net profit or loss of only pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the nonresident.
         C.   For taxpayers that are not individuals, net profit of the taxpayer;
         D.   Lottery, sweepstakes, gambling and sports winnings, winnings from games of chance, and prizes and awards. If the taxpayer is a professional gambler for federal income tax purposes, the taxpayer may deduct related wagering losses and expenses to the extent authorized under the Internal Revenue Code and claimed against such winnings.
      (17)   “Intangible income” means income of any of the following types: income yield, interest, capital gains, dividends, or other income arising from the ownership, sale, exchange, or other disposition of intangible property including, but not limited to, investments, deposits, money, or credits as those terms are defined in Chapter 5701 of the ORC, and patents, copyrights, trademarks, tradenames, investments in real estate investment trusts, investments in regulated investment companies, and appreciation on deferred compensation. “Intangible income” does not include prizes, awards, or other income associated with any lottery winnings, gambling winnings, or other similar games of chance.
      (18)   “Internal Revenue Code” has the same meaning as in Section 5747.01 of the ORC.
      (19)   “Limited liability company” means a limited liability company formed under chapter 1705 of the ORC or under the laws of another state.
      (20)   “Municipal corporation” includes a joint economic development district or joint economic development zone that levies an income tax under Section 715.691, 715.70, 715.71, 715.72, 715.74, or 715.76 of the ORC.
      (21)   A.   “Municipal taxable income” means the following:
            1.   For a person other than an individual, income apportioned or sitused to Grove City under Section 194.03, as applicable, reduced by any pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward available to the person for Grove City. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
               2.   a.   For an individual who is a resident of Grove City, income reduced by exempt income to the extent otherwise included in income, then reduced as provided in subsection (c)(21)B., and further reduced by any pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward available to the individual for Grove City.
               b.   For an individual who is a nonresident of Grove City, income reduced by exempt income to the extent otherwise included in income and then, as applicable, apportioned or sitused to the municipal corporation under Section 194.03, then reduced as provided in subsection (c)(21)B., and further reduced by any pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward available to the individual for Grove City.
         B.   In computing the municipal taxable income of a taxpayer who is an individual, the taxpayer may subtract, as provided in subsections (c)(21)A.2.a. or (c)(21)A.2.b., the amount of the individual’s employee business expenses reported on the individual’s form 2106 that the individual deducted for federal income tax purposes for the taxable year, subject to the limitation imposed by Section 67 of the Internal Revenue Code. For the municipal corporation in which the taxpayer is a resident, the taxpayer may deduct all such expenses allowed for federal income tax purposes, but only to the extent the expenses do not relate to exempt income. For a municipal corporation in which the taxpayer is not a resident, the taxpayer may deduct such expenses only to the extent the expenses are related to the taxpayer’s performance of personal services in that nonresident municipal corporation and are not related to exempt income.
      (22)   “Municipality” means the same as the City of Grove City. If the terms are capitalized in the ordinance they are referring to Grove City. If not capitalized they refer to a municipal corporation other than Grove City.
      (23)   “Net operating loss” means a loss incurred by a person in the operation of a trade or business. “Net operating loss” does not include unutilized losses resulting from basis limitations, at-risk limitations, or passive activity loss limitations.
      (24)   A.   “Net profit” for a person who is an individual means the individual’s net profit required to be reported on schedule C, schedule E, or schedule F reduced by any net operating loss carried forward. For the purposes of subsection (c)(24)A., the net operating loss carried forward shall be calculated and deducted in the same manner as provided in subsection (c)(24)C.
         B.   “Net profit” for a person other than an individual means adjusted federal taxable income reduced by any net operating loss incurred by the person in a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2017, subject to the limitations of subsection (c)(24)C. of this section.
         C.   1.   The amount of such operating loss shall be deducted from net profit to the extent necessary to reduce municipal taxable income to zero, with any remaining unused portion of the net operating loss carried forward to not more than five consecutive taxable years following the taxable year in which the loss was incurred, but in no case for more years than necessary for the deduction to be fully utilized.
            2.   No person shall use the deduction allowed by subsection (c)(24)C of this section to offset qualifying wages.
            3.   a.   For taxable years beginning in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, or 2022, a person may not deduct more than fifty percent (50%) of the amount of the deduction otherwise allowed by subsection (c)(24)C.l. of this section.
               b.   For taxable years beginning in 2023 or thereafter, a person may deduct the full amount allowed by subsection (c)(24)C.1. of this section without regard to the limitation of subsection (c)(24)C.3.a. of this section.
            4.   Any pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward deduction that is available may be utilized before a taxpayer may deduct any amount pursuant to subsection (c)(24)C. of this section.
            5.   Nothing in subsection (c)(24)C.3.a. of this section precludes a person from carrying forward, for use with respect to any return filed for a taxable year beginning after 2018, any amount of net operating loss that was not fully utilized by operation of subsection (c)(24)C.3.a. of this section. To the extent that an amount of net operating loss that was not fully utilized in one or more taxable years by operation of subsection (c)(24)C.3.a of this section is carried forward for use with respect to a return filed for a taxable year beginning in 2019, 2020, 2021, or 2022, the limitation described in subsection (c)(24)C.3.a. of this section shall apply to the amount carried forward.
         D.   For the purposes of this chapter, and notwithstanding subsection (c)(24)B., net profit of a disregarded entity shall not be taxable as against that disregarded entity, but shall instead be included in the net profit of the owner of the disregarded entity.
         E.   A publicly traded partnership that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, and that is subject to tax on its net profits by Grove City, may elect to be treated as a C corporation for Grove City, and shall not be treated as the net profit or income of any owner of the partnership. The election shall be made on the annual return for Grove City. Grove City will treat the publicly traded partnership as a C corporation if the election is so made. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
      (25)   “Nonresident” means an individual that is not a resident.
      (26)   “Ohio Business Gateway” means the online computer network system, created under Section 125.30 of the ORC, that allows persons to electronically file business reply forms with state agencies and includes any successor electronic filing and payment system.
      (27)   “Other payer” means any person, other than an individual’s employer or the employer’s agent that pays an individual any amount included in the federal gross income of the individual. “Other payer” includes casino operators and video lottery terminal sales agents.
      (28)   “Pass-through entity” means a partnership not treated as an association taxable as a C corporation for federal income tax purposes, a limited liability company not treated as an association taxable as a C corporation for federal income tax purposes, an S corporation, or any other class of entity from which the income or profits of the entity are given pass-through treatment for federal income tax purposes. “Pass-through entity” does not include a trust, estate, grantor of a grantor trust, or disregarded entity.
      (29)   “Pension” means any amount paid to an employee or former employee that is reported to the recipient on an IRS form 1099-R, or successor form. Pension does not include deferred compensation, or amounts attributable to nonqualified deferred compensation plans, reported as FICA/Medicare wages on an IRS form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or successor form.
      (30)   “Person” includes individuals, firms, companies, joint stock companies, business trusts, estates, trusts, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, C corporations, S corporations, governmental entities, and any other entity.
      (31)   “Postal service” means the United States Postal Service (“USPS”).
      (32)   “Postmark date,” “date of postmark,” and similar terms include the date recorded and marked in the manner described in Section 5703.056(B)(3) of the ORC.
      (33)   A.   “Pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward” means any net operating loss incurred in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2017, to the extent such loss was permitted, by a resolution or ordinance of Grove City that was adopted by Grove City before January 1, 2016, to be carried forward and utilized to offset income or net profit generated in Grove City in future taxable years.
         B.   For the purpose of calculating municipal taxable income, any pre-2017 net operating loss carryforward may be carried forward to any taxable year, including taxable years beginning in 2017 or thereafter, for the number of taxable years provided in the resolution or ordinance or until fully utilized, whichever is earlier.
      (34)   “Publicly traded partnership” means any partnership, an interest in which is regularly traded on an established securities market. A “publicly traded partnership” may have any number of partners.
      (35)   “Qualifying wages” means wages, as defined in Section 3121(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, without regard to any wage limitations, adjusted as follows:
         A.   Deduct the following amounts:
            1.   Any amount included in wages if the amount constitutes compensation attributable to a plan or program described in Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code.
            2.   Any amount included in wages if the amount constitutes payment on account of a disability related to sickness or an accident paid by a party unrelated to the employer, agent of an employer, or other payer.
            3.   Any amount included in wages that is exempt income.
         B.   Add the following amounts:
            1.   Any amount not included in wages solely because the employee was employed by the employer before April 1, 1986.
            2.   Any amount not included in wages because the amount arises from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of a stock option, the exercise of a stock option, or the sale, exchange, or other disposition of stock purchased under a stock option. Subsection (c)(35)B.2. applies only to those amounts constituting ordinary income.
            3.   Any amount not included in wages if the amount is an amount described in section 401(k), 403(b), or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code. Subsection (c)(35)B.3. applies only to employee contributions and employee deferrals.
            4.   Any amount that is supplemental unemployment compensation benefits described in Section 3402(o)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code and not included in wages.
            5.   Any amount received that is treated as self-employment income for federal tax purposes in accordance with Section 1402(a)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code.
            6.   Any amount not included in wages if all of the following apply:
               a.   For the taxable year the amount is employee compensation that is earned outside the United States and that either is included in the taxpayer’s gross income for federal income tax purposes or would have been included in the taxpayer’s gross income for such purposes if the taxpayer did not elect to exclude the income under Section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code;
               b.   For no preceding taxable year did the amount constitute wages as defined in Section 3121(a) of the Internal Revenue Code;
               c.   For no succeeding taxable year will the amount constitute wages; and
               d.   For any taxable year the amount has not otherwise been added to wages pursuant to either subsection (c)(35)B. or Section 718.034 of the ORC, as that section existed before the effective date of H.B. 5 of the 130th General Assembly, March 23, 2015.
      (36)   “Related entity” means any of the following:
         A.   An individual stockholder, or a member of the stockholder’s family enumerated in Section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code, if the stockholder and the members of the stockholder’s family own directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, in the aggregate, at least fifty percent (50%) of the value of the taxpayer’s outstanding stock;
         B.   A stockholder, or a stockholder’s partnership, estate, trust, or corporation, if the stockholder and the stockholder’s partnerships, estates, trusts, or corporations own directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, in the aggregate, at least fifty percent (50%) of the value of the taxpayer’s outstanding stock;
         C.   A corporation, or a party related to the corporation in a manner that would require an attribution of stock from the corporation to the party or from the party to the corporation under subsection (c)(36)D., provided the taxpayer owns directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, at least fifty percent (50%) of the value of the corporation’s outstanding stock;
         D.   The attribution rules described in Section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code apply for the purpose of determining whether the ownership requirements in subsections (c)(36)A. to C. have been met.
      (37)   “Related member” means a person that, with respect to the taxpayer during all or any portion of the taxable year, is either a related entity, a component member as defined in Section 1563(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a person to or from whom there is attribution of stock ownership in accordance with Section 1563(e) of the Internal Revenue Code except, for purposes of determining whether a person is a related member under this subsection, “twenty percent (20%)” shall be substituted for “five percent (5%)” wherever “five percent (5%)” appears in Section 1563(e) of the Internal Revenue Code.
      (38)   “Resident” means an individual who is domiciled in the municipal corporation as determined under Section 194.03(e).
      (39)   “S corporation” means a person that has made an election under subchapter S of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code for its taxable year.
      (40)   “Schedule C” means Internal Revenue Service schedule C (form 1040) filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
      (41)   “Schedule E” means Internal Revenue Service schedule E (form 1040) filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
      (42)   “Schedule F” means Internal Revenue Service schedule F (form 1040) filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
      (43)   “Single member limited liability company” means a limited liability company that has one direct member.
      (44)   “Small employer” means any employer that had total revenue of less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) during the preceding taxable year. For purposes of this subsection, “total revenue” means receipts of any type or kind, including, but not limited to, sales receipts; payments; rents; profits; gains, dividends, and other investment income; compensation; commissions; premiums; money; property; grants; contributions; donations; gifts; program service revenue; patient service revenue; premiums; fees, including premium fees and service fees; tuition payments; unrelated business revenue; reimbursements; any type of payment from a governmental unit, including grants and other allocations; and any other similar receipts reported for federal income tax purposes or under generally accepted accounting principles. “Small employer” does not include the federal government; any state government, including any state agency or instrumentality; any political subdivision; or any entity treated as a government for financial accounting and reporting purposes.
      (45)   A.   “Tax Administrator” means the individual charged with direct responsibility for administration of an income tax levied by Grove City in accordance with this chapter. Tax Administrator does not include the tax commissioner.
         B.   “Tax Commissioner” means the tax commissioner appointed under Section 121.03 of the ORC. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
      (46)   “Tax return preparer” means any individual described in Section 7701(a)(36) of the Internal Revenue Code and 26 C.F.R. 301.7701-15.
      (47)   “Taxable year” means the corresponding tax reporting period as prescribed for the taxpayer under the Internal Revenue Code.
      (48)   A.   “Taxpayer” means a person subject to a tax levied on income by a municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter. “Taxpayer” does not include a grantor trust or, except as provided in subsection (c)(48)B.1., a disregarded entity.
         B.   1.   A single member limited liability company that is a disregarded entity for federal tax purposes may be a separate taxpayer from its single member in all Ohio municipal corporations in which it either filed as a separate taxpayer or did not file for its taxable year ending in 2003, if all of the following conditions are met:
               a.   The limited liability company’s single member is also a limited liability company;
               b.   The limited liability company and its single member were formed and doing business in one or more Ohio municipal corporations for at least five (5) years before January 1, 2004;
               c.   Not later than December 31, 2004, the limited liability company and its single member each made an election to be treated as a separate taxpayer under ORC 718.01(L) as that section existed on December 31, 2004;
               d.   The limited liability company was not formed for the purpose of evading or reducing Ohio municipal corporation income tax liability of the limited liability company or its single member; and
               e.   The Ohio municipal corporation that was the primary place of business of the sole member of the limited liability company consented to the election.
            2.   For purposes of subsection (c)(48)B.1.e., a municipal corporation was the primary place of business of a limited liability company if, for the limited liability company’s taxable year ending in 2003, its income tax liability was greater in that municipal corporation than in any other municipal corporation in Ohio, and that tax liability to that municipal corporation for its taxable ending in 2003 was at least four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00).
      (49)   “Taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities” means the rights provided to taxpayers in Sections 194.09, 194.12, 194.13, 194.19(b), 194.20, 194.21, and Sections 5717.011 and 5717.03 of the ORC, and the responsibilities of taxpayers to file, report, withhold, remit, and pay municipal income tax and otherwise comply with Chapter 718 of the ORC and resolutions, ordinances, and rules and regulations adopted by Grove City for the imposition and administration of a municipal income tax.
      (50)   “Video lottery terminal” has the same meaning as in Section 3770.21 of the ORC.
      (51)   “Video lottery terminal sales agent” means a lottery sales agent licensed under Chapter 3770 of the ORC to conduct video lottery terminals on behalf of the state pursuant to Section 3770.21 of the ORC.
(Ord. C85-15. Passed 11-16-15.)
194.03   IMPOSITION OF TAX.
   The income tax levied by Grove City at a rate of two percent (2%) is levied on the Municipal Taxable Income of every person residing in and/or earning and/or receiving income in Grove City.
   (a)   Individuals. For residents of Grove City, the income tax levied herein shall be on all income, salaries, qualifying wages, commissions, and other compensation from whatever source earned or received by the resident, including the resident’s distributive share of the net profit of pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the resident and any net profit of the resident.
   (b)   For nonresidents, all income, salaries, qualifying wages, commissions, and other compensation from whatever source earned or received by the nonresident for work done, services performed or rendered, or activities conducted in the municipal corporation, including any net profit of the nonresident, but excluding the nonresident's distributive share of the net profit or loss of only pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the nonresident.
   (c)   For residents and nonresidents, income can be reduced to “Municipal Taxable Income” as defined in Section 194.02 (c)(21). Exemptions which may apply are specified in Section 194.02(c)(12).
   (d)   Refundable credit for nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
      (1)   As used in this subsection:
         A.   "Nonqualified deferred compensation plan" means a compensation plan described in Section 3121(v)(2)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code.
         B.   "Qualifying loss" means the amount of compensation attributable to a taxpayer's nonqualified deferred compensation plan, less the receipt of money and property attributable to distributions from the nonqualified deferred compensation plan. Full loss is sustained if no distribution of money and property is made by the nonqualified deferred compensation plan. The taxpayer sustains a qualifying loss only in the taxable year in which the taxpayer receives the final distribution of money and property pursuant to that nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
         C.   1.   "Qualifying tax rate" means the applicable tax rate for the taxable year for which the taxpayer paid income tax to Grove City with respect to any portion of the total amount of compensation the payment of which is deferred pursuant to a nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
            2.   If different tax rates applied for different taxable years, then the "qualifying tax rate" is a weighted average of those different tax rates. The weighted average shall be based upon the tax paid to Grove City each year with respect to the nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
         D.   “Refundable credit" means the amount of Grove City income tax that was paid on the non-distributed portion, if any, of a nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
      (2)   If, in addition to Grove City, a taxpayer has paid tax to other municipal corporations with respect to the nonqualified deferred compensation plan, the amount of the credit that a taxpayer may claim from each municipal corporation shall be calculated on the basis of each municipal corporation's proportionate share of the total municipal corporation income tax paid by the taxpayer to all municipal corporations with respect to the nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
      (3)   In no case shall the amount of the credit allowed under this section exceed the cumulative income tax that a taxpayer has paid to Grove City for all taxable years with respect to the nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
      (4)   The credit allowed under this subsection is allowed only to the extent the taxpayer's qualifying loss is attributable to:
         A.   The insolvency or bankruptcy of the employer who had established the nonqualified deferred compensation plan; or
         B.   The employee’s failure or inability to satisfy all of the employer’s terms and conditions necessary to receive the nonqualified deferred compensation.
   (e)   Domicile.
      (1)   A.   An individual is presumed to be domiciled in Grove City for all or part of a taxable year if the individual was domiciled in Grove City on the last day of the immediately preceding taxable year or if the Tax Administrator reasonably concludes that the individual is domiciled in Grove City for all or part of the taxable year.
         B.   An individual may rebut the presumption of domicile described in subsection (e)(1)A. if the individual establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the individual was not domiciled in Grove City for all or part of the taxable year.
      (2)   For the purpose of determining whether an individual is domiciled in Grove City for all or part of a taxable year, factors that may be considered include, but are not limited to, the following:
         A.   The individual's domicile in other taxable years;
         B.   The location at which the individual is registered to vote;
         C.   The address on the individual's driver's license;
         D.   The location of real estate for which the individual claimed a property tax exemption or reduction allowed on the basis of the individual's residence or domicile;
         E.   The location and value of abodes owned or leased by the individual;
         F.   Declarations, written or oral, made by the individual regarding the individual's residency;
         G.   The primary location at which the individual is an employee;
         H.   The location of educational institutions attended by the individual's dependents as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent that tuition paid to such educational institution is based on the residency of the individual or the individual's spouse in the municipal corporation where the educational institution is located; and/or
         I.   The number of contact periods the individual has with Grove City. For the purposes of this subsection, an individual has one "contact period" with Grove City if the individual is away overnight from the individual's abode located outside of Grove City and while away overnight from that abode spends at least some portion, however minimal, of each of two (2) consecutive days in Grove City.
      (3)   All additional applicable factors are provided in the Rules and Regulations authorized under Sections 194.22 and 194.26.
   (f)   Businesses. This subsection applies to any taxpayer engaged in a business or profession in Grove City, unless the taxpayer is an individual who resides in Grove City or the taxpayer is an electric company, combined company, or telephone company that is subject to and required to file reports under Chapter 5745 of the ORC.
      (1)   Except as otherwise provided in subsections (f)(2) and (g), net profit from a business or profession conducted both within and without the boundaries of Grove City shall be considered as having a taxable situs in Grove City for purposes of municipal income taxation in the same proportion as the average ratio of the following:
         A.   The average original cost of the real property and tangible personal property owned or used by the taxpayer in the business or profession in Grove City during the taxable period to the average original cost of all of the real and tangible personal property owned or used by the taxpayer in the business or profession during the same period, wherever situated.
            As used in the preceding paragraph, tangible personal or real property shall include property rented or leased by the taxpayer and the value of such property shall be determined by multiplying the annual rental thereon by eight;
         B.   Wages, salaries, and other compensation paid during the taxable period to individuals employed in the business or profession for services performed in Grove City to wages, salaries, and other compensation paid during the same period to individuals employed in the business or profession, wherever the individual's services are performed, excluding compensation from which taxes are not required to be withheld under Section 194.04(c);
         C.   Total gross receipts of the business or profession from sales and rentals made and services performed during the taxable period in Grove City to total gross receipts of the business or profession during the same period from sales, rentals, and services, wherever made or performed.
      (2)   A.   If the apportionment factors described in subsection (f)(1) do not fairly represent the extent of a taxpayer's business activity in Grove City, the taxpayer may request, or the Tax Administrator of Grove City may require, that the taxpayer use, with respect to all or any portion of the income of the taxpayer, an alternative apportionment method involving one or more of the following:
            1.   Separate accounting;
            2.   The exclusion of one or more of the factors;
            3.   The inclusion of one or more additional factors that would provide for a more fair apportionment of the income of the taxpayer to the municipal corporation;
            4.   A modification of one or more of the factors.
         B.   A taxpayer request to use an alternative apportionment method shall be in writing and shall accompany a tax return, timely filed appeal of an assessment, or timely filed amended tax return. The taxpayer may use the requested alternative method unless the Tax Administrator denies the request in an assessment issued within the period prescribed by Section 194.12(a).
         C.   The Tax Administrator may require a taxpayer to use an alternative apportionment method as described in subsection (f)(2)A., but only by issuing an assessment to the taxpayer within the period prescribed by Section 194.12(a).
         D.   Nothing in subsection (f)(2) nullifies or otherwise affects any alternative apportionment arrangement approved by the Tax Administrator or otherwise agreed upon by both the Tax Administrator and taxpayer before January 1, 2016.
      (3)   As used in subsection (f)(1)B., "wages, salaries, and other compensation" includes only wages, salaries, or other compensation paid to an employee for services performed at any of the following locations:
         A.   A location that is owned, controlled, or used by, rented to, or under the possession of one of the following:
            1.   The employer;
            2.   A vendor, customer, client, or patient of the employer, or a related member of such a vendor, customer, client, or patient; or
            3.   A vendor, customer, client, or patient of a person described in subsection (f)(3)A.2., or a related member of such a vendor, customer, client, or patient.
         B.   Any location at which a trial, appeal, hearing, investigation, inquiry, review, court-martial, or similar administrative, judicial, or legislative matter or proceeding is being conducted, provided that the compensation is paid for services performed for, or on behalf of, the employer or that the employee's presence at the location directly or indirectly benefits the employer;
         C.   Any other location, if the Tax Administrator determines that the employer directed the employee to perform the services at the other location in lieu of a location described in subsection (f)(3)A. or B. solely in order to avoid or reduce the employer's municipal income tax liability. If the Tax Administrator makes such a determination, the employer may dispute the determination by establishing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the Tax Administrator's determination was unreasonable.
      (4)   For the purposes of subsection (f)(1)C. and except as provided in subsection (g), receipts from sales and rentals made and services performed shall be sitused to a municipal corporation as follows:
         A.   Gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property shall be sitused to the municipal corporation only if, regardless of where title passes, the property meets any of the following criteria:
            1.   The property is shipped to or delivered within Grove City from a stock of goods located within Grove City; or
            2.   The property is delivered within Grove City from a location outside Grove City, provided the taxpayer is regularly engaged through its own employees in the solicitation or promotion of sales within Grove City and the sales result from such solicitation or promotion. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
         B.   Gross receipts from the sale of services shall be sitused to Grove City to the extent that such services are performed in Grove City;
         C.   To the extent included in income, gross receipts from the sale of real property located in Grove City shall be sitused to Grove City;
         D.   To the extent included in income, gross receipts from rents and royalties from real property located in Grove City shall be sitused to Grove City; and
         E.   Gross receipts from rents and royalties from tangible personal property shall be sitused to Grove City based upon the extent to which the tangible personal property is used in Grove City.
      (5)   The net profit received by an individual taxpayer from the rental of real estate owned directly by the individual, or by a disregarded entity owned by the individual, shall be subject to Grove City's tax only if the property generating the net profit is located in Grove City or if the individual taxpayer that receives the net profit is a resident of Grove City. Grove City shall allow such taxpayers to elect to use separate accounting for the purpose of calculating net profit sitused under this subsection to the municipal corporation in which the property is located.
      (6)   A.   Commissions received by a real estate agent or broker relating to the sale, purchase, or lease of real estate shall be sitused to the municipal corporation in which the real estate is located. Net profit reported by the real estate agent or broker shall be allocated to Grove City, if applicable, based upon the ratio of the commissions the agent or broker received from the sale, purchase, or lease of real estate located in Grove City to the commissions received from the sale, purchase, or lease of real estate everywhere in the taxable year.
         B.   An individual who is a resident of Grove City shall report the individual's net profit from all real estate activity on the individual's annual tax return for Grove City. The individual may claim a credit for taxes the individual paid on such net profit to another municipal corporation to the extent that such a credit is allowed under Grove City's income tax ordinance.
      (7)   When calculating the ratios described in subsections (f)(1) or (2), the owner of a disregarded entity shall include in the owner's ratios the property, payroll, and gross receipts of such disregarded entity.
   (g)   Net Profit Allocation.
      (1)   As used in this subsection:
         A.   "Qualifying remote employee or owner" means an individual who is an employee of a taxpayer or who is a partner or member holding an ownership interest in a taxpayer that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, provided that the individual meets both of the following criteria:
            1.   The taxpayer has assigned the individual to a qualifying reporting location.
            2.   The individual is permitted or required to perform services for the taxpayer at a qualifying remote work location.
         B.   "Qualifying remote work location" means a permanent or temporary location at which an employee or owner chooses or is required to perform services for the taxpayer, other than a reporting location of the taxpayer or any other location owned or controlled by a customer or client of the taxpayer. "Qualifying remote work location" may include the residence of an employee or owner and may be located outside of a municipal corporation that imposes an income tax in accordance with this chapter. An employee or owner may have more than one qualifying remote work location during a taxable year.
         C.   "Reporting location" means either of the following:
            1.   A permanent or temporary place of doing business, such as an office, warehouse, storefront, construction site, or similar location, that is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the taxpayer;
            2.   Any location in this state owned or controlled by a customer or client of the taxpayer, provided that the taxpayer is required to withhold taxes under Section 194.04 of this Chapter, on qualifying wages paid to an employee for the performance of personal services at that location.
         D.   "Qualifying reporting location" means one of the following:
            1.   The reporting location in this state at which an employee or owner performs sendees for the taxpayer on a regular or periodic basis during the taxable year;
            2.   If no reporting location exists in this state for an employee or owner under subsection (g)(l)D,l., the reporting location in this state at which the employee's or owner's supervisor regularly or periodically reports during the taxable year;
            3.   If no reporting location exists in this state for an employee or owner under subsection (g)(l)D.l. or 2., the location that the taxpayer otherwise assigns as the employee's or owner's qualifying reporting location, provided the assignment is made in good faith and is recorded and maintained in the taxpayer's business records. A taxpayer may change the qualifying reporting location designated for an employee or owner under this section at any time.
      (2)   For tax years ending on or after December 31, 2023, a taxpayer may elect to apply the provisions of this section to the apportionment of its net profit from a business or profession. For taxpayers that make this election, the provisions of subsection (f) apply to such apportionment except as otherwise provided in this section.
         A.   A taxpayer shall make the election allowed under this section in writing on or with the taxpayer's net profit return or, if applicable, a timely filed amended net profit return or a timely filed appeal of an assessment. The election applies to the taxable year for which that return or appeal is filed and for all subsequent taxable years, until the taxpayer revokes the election.
         B.   The taxpayer shall make the initial election with the tax administrator of each municipal corporation with which, after applying the apportionment provisions authorized in this section, the taxpayer is required to file a net profit tax return for that taxable year. A taxpayer shall not be required to notify the tax administrator of a municipal corporation in which a qualifying remote employee's or owner's qualifying remote work location is located, unless the taxpayer is otherwise required to file a net profit return with that municipal corporation due to business operations that are unrelated to the employee's or owner's activity at the qualifying remote work location.
         C.   After the taxpayer makes the initial election, the election applies to every municipal corporation in which the taxpayer conducts business. The taxpayer shall not be required to file a net profit return with a municipal corporation solely because a qualifying remote employee's or owner's qualifying remote work location is located in such municipal corporation.
         D.   Nothing in this section prohibits a taxpayer from making a new election under this section after properly revoking a prior election.
      (3)   For the purpose of calculating the ratios described in subsection (f)(1), all of the following apply to a taxpayer that has made the election described in subsection (g)(2):
         A.   For the purpose of subsection (f)(1)A., the average original cost of any tangible personal property used by a qualifying remote employee or owner at that individual's qualifying remote work location shall be sitused to that individual's qualifying reporting location.
         B.   For the purpose of subsection (f)(l)B., any wages, salaries, and other compensation paid during the taxable period to a qualifying remote employee or owner for services performed at that individual's qualifying remote work location shall be sitused to that individual's qualifying reporting location.
         C.   For the purpose of subsection (f)(l)C., and notwithstanding subsection (f)(4), any gross receipts of the business or profession from services performed during the taxable period by a qualifying remote employee or owner for services performed at that individual's qualifying remote work location shall be sitused to that individual's qualifying reporting location.
      (4)   Nothing in this section prevents a taxpayer from requesting, or a tax administrator from requiring, that the taxpayer use, with respect to all or a portion of the income of the taxpayer, an alternative apportionment method as described in subsection (f)(2). However, a tax administrator shall not require an alternative apportionment method in such a manner that it would require a taxpayer to file a net profit return with a municipal corporation solely because a qualifying remote employee's or owner's qualifying remote work location is located in that municipal corporation.
      (5)   Except as otherwise provided in this section, nothing in this section is intended to affect the withholding of taxes on qualifying wages pursuant to Section 194.04 of this Chapter.
(Ord. C85-15. Passed 11-16-15; Ord. C46-23. Passed 11-20-23.)
194.04   COLLECTION AT SOURCE.
   (a)   Withholding provisions. Each employer, agent of an employer, or other payer located or doing business in Grove City shall withhold an income tax from the qualifying wages earned and/or received by each employee in Grove City. Except for qualifying wages for which withholding is not required under Section 194.03 or subsections (b)(4) or (6), the tax shall be withheld at the rate of two percent (2%) as specified in Section 194.03 of this chapter. An employer, agent of an employer, or other payer shall deduct and withhold the tax from qualifying wages on the date that the employer, agent, or other payer directly, indirectly, or constructively pays the qualifying wages to, or credits the qualifying wages to the benefit of, the employee.
   (b)   (1)   Except as provided in subsection (b)(2), an employer, agent of an employer, or other payer shall remit to the Tax Administrator of Grove City the greater of the income taxes deducted and withheld or the income taxes required to be deducted and withheld by the employer, agent, or other payer according to the following schedule:
         A.   Taxes required to be deducted and withheld shall be remitted monthly to the Tax Administrator if the total taxes deducted and withheld or required to be deducted and withheld by the employer, agent, or other payer on behalf of Grove City in the preceding calendar year exceeded two thousand three hundred and ninety-nine dollars ($2,399.00), or if the total amount of taxes deducted and withheld or required to be deducted and withheld on behalf of Grove City in any month of the preceding calendar quarter exceeded two hundred dollars ($200.00).
            Payment under subsection (b)(1)A. shall be made to the Tax Administrator not later than fifteen (15) days after the last day of each month for which the tax was withheld. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
         B.   Any employer, agent of an employer, or other payer not required to make payments under subsection (b)(1)A. of taxes required to be deducted and withheld shall make quarterly payments to the Tax Administrator not later than the last day of the month following the last day of each calendar quarter. (Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
         C.   Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b)(l)A. and B., taxes required to be deducted and withheld shall be remitted semimonthly to the Tax Administrator if the total taxes deducted and withheld or required to be deducted and withheld on behalf of Grove City in the preceding calendar year exceeded eleven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars ($11,999.00), or if in any month of the preceding calendar year exceeded one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Payment under subsection (b)(1)C. shall be made to the Tax Administrator not later than one of the following:
            1.   If the taxes were deducted and withheld or required to be deducted and withheld during the first fifteen (15) days of a month, the third banking day after the fifteenth (15th) day of that month; or
            2.   If the taxes were deducted and withheld or required to be deducted and withheld after the fifteenth (15th) day of a month and before the first day of the immediately following month, the third (3rd) banking day after the last day of the month.(Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)
      (2)   If the employer, agent of an employer, or other payer is required to make payments electronically for the purpose of paying federal taxes withheld on payments to employees under Section 6302 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 C.F.R. 31.6302-1, or any other federal statute or regulation, the payment shall be made by electronic funds transfer to the Tax Administrator of all taxes deducted and withheld on behalf of Grove City. The payment of tax by electronic funds transfer under this subsection does not affect an employer's, agents, or other payer's obligation to file any return as required under this section.
      (3)   An employer, agent of an employer, or other payer shall make and file a return showing the amount of tax withheld by the employer, agent, or other payer from the qualifying wages of each employee and remitted to the Tax Administrator. A return filed by an employer, agent, or other payer under this subsection shall be accepted by Tax Administrator and Grove City as the return required of an non-resident employee whose sole income subject to the tax under this chapter is the qualifying wages reported by the employee's employer, agent of an employer, or other payer.
      (4)   An employer, agent of an employer, or other payer is not required to withhold Grove City income tax with respect to an individual's disqualifying disposition of an incentive stock option if, at the time of the disqualifying disposition, the individual is not an employee of either the corporation with respect to whose stock the option has been issued or of such corporation's successor entity.
      (5)   A.   An employee is not relieved from liability for a tax by the failure of the employer, agent of an employer, or other payer to withhold the tax as required under this chapter or by the employer's, agent's, or other payer's exemption from the requirement to withhold the tax.
         B.   The failure of an employer, agent of an employer, or other payer to remit to Grove City the tax withheld relieves the employee from liability for that tax unless the employee colluded with the employer, agent, or other payer in connection with the failure to remit the tax withheld.
      (6)   Compensation deferred before June 26, 2003, is not subject to Grove City income tax or income tax withholding requirement to the extent the deferred compensation does not constitute qualifying wages at the time the deferred compensation is paid or distributed.
      (7)   Each employer, agent of an employer, or other payer required to withhold taxes is liable for the payment of that amount required to be withheld, whether or not such taxes have been withheld, and such amount shall be deemed to be held in trust for Grove City until such time as the withheld amount is remitted to the Tax Administrator.
      (8)   On or before the last day of February of each year, an employer shall file a withholding reconciliation return with the Tax Administrator listing:
         A.   The names, addresses, and social security numbers of all employees from whose qualifying wages tax was withheld or should have been withheld for Grove City during the preceding calendar year;
         B.   The amount of tax withheld, if any, from each such employee, the total amount of qualifying wages paid to such employee during the preceding calendar year;
         C.   The name of every other municipal corporation for which tax was withheld or should have been withheld from such employee during the preceding calendar year;
         D.   Any other information required for federal income tax reporting purposes on Internal Revenue Service form W-2 or its equivalent form with respect to such employee; and
         E.   Other information as may be required by the Tax Administrator.
      (9)   The officer or the employee of the employer, agent of an employer, or other payer with control or direct supervision of or charged with the responsibility for withholding the tax or filing the reports and making payments as required by this section, shall be personally liable for a failure to file a report or pay the tax due as required by this section. The dissolution of an employer, agent of an employer, or other payer does not discharge the officer's or employee's liability for a failure of the employer, agent of an employer, or other payer to file returns or pay any tax due.
      (10)   An employer is required to deduct and withhold Grove City income tax on tips and gratuities received by the employer's employees and constituting qualifying wages, but only to the extent that the tips and gratuities are under the employer's control. For the purposes of this subsection, a tip or gratuity is under the employer's control if the tip or gratuity is paid by the customer to the employer for subsequent remittance to the employee, or if the customer pays the tip or gratuity by credit card, debit card, or other electronic means.
      (11)   The Tax Administrator shall consider any tax withheld by an employer at the request of an employee, when such tax is not otherwise required to be withheld by this chapter, to be tax required to be withheld and remitted for the purposes of this section.
   (c)   Occasional Entrant - Withholding.
      (1)   As used in this subsection:
         A.   "Employer" includes a person that is a related member to or of an employer.
         B.   “Fixed location" means a permanent place of doing business in this state, such as an office, warehouse, storefront, or similar location owned or controlled by an employer.
         C.   "Principal place of work" means the fixed location to which an employee is required to report for employment duties on a regular and ordinary basis. If the employee is not required to report for employment duties on a regular and ordinary basis to a fixed location, "principal place of work" means the worksite location in this state to which the employee is required to report for employment duties on a regular and ordinary basis. If the employee is not required to report for employment duties on a regular and ordinary basis to a fixed location or worksite location, "principal place of work" means the location in this state at which the employee spends the greatest number of days in a calendar year performing services for or on behalf of the employee's employer.
            If there is not a single municipal corporation in which the employee spent the "greatest number of days in a calendar year" performing services for or on behalf of the employer, but instead there are two or more municipal corporations in which the employee spent an identical number of days that is greater than the number of days the employee spent in any other municipal corporation, the employer shall allocate any of the employee's qualifying wages subject to subsection (c)(2)A.1. among those two or more municipal corporations. The allocation shall be made using any fair and reasonable method, including, but not limited to, an equal allocation among such municipal corporations or an allocation based upon the time spent or sales made by the employee in each such municipal corporation. A municipal corporation to which qualifying wages are allocated under this subsection shall be the employee's "principal place of work" with respect to those qualifying wages for the purposes of this section.
            For the purposes of this subsection, the location at which an employee spends a particular day shall be determined in accordance with subsection (c)(2)B., except that “location” shall be substituted for “municipal corporation” wherever “municipal corporation” appears in that subsection.
         D.   "Professional athlete" means an athlete who performs services in a professional athletic event for wages or other remuneration.
         E.   "Professional entertainer" means a person who performs services in the professional performing arts for wages or other remuneration on a per-event basis.
         F.   "Public figure" means a person of prominence who performs services at discrete events, such as speeches, public appearances, or similar events, for wages or other remuneration on a per-event basis.
         G.   "Worksite location" means a construction site or other temporary worksite in this state at which the employer provides services for more than twenty (20) days during the calendar year. "Worksite location" does not include the home of an employee.
      (2)   A.   Subject to subsections (c)(3), (5) and (6), an employer is not required to withhold Grove City income tax on qualifying wages paid to an employee for the performance of personal services in Grove City if the employee performed such services in Grove City on twenty (20) or fewer days in a calendar year, unless one (1) of the following conditions applies:
            1.   The employee's principal place of work is located in Grove City;
            2.   The employee performed services at one (1) or more presumed worksite locations in Grove City. For the purposes of this subsection, "presumed worksite location" means a construction site or other temporary worksite in Grove City at which the employer provides or provided services that can reasonably be, or would have been, expected by the employer to last more than twenty (20) days in a calendar year. Services can "reasonably be expected by the employer to last more than twenty (20) days" if either of the following applies at the time the services commence:
               a.   The nature of the services are such that it will require more than twenty (20) days of the services to complete the services;
               b.   The agreement between the employer and its customer to perform services at a location requires the employer to perform the services at the location for more than twenty (20) days;
            3.   The employee is a resident of Grove City and has requested that the employer withhold tax from the employee's qualifying wages as provided in Section 194.04; or
            4.   The employee is a professional athlete, professional entertainer, or public figure, and the qualifying wages are paid for the performance of services in the employee's capacity as a professional athlete, professional entertainer, or public figure.
         B.   For the purposes of subsection (c)(2)A., an employee shall be considered to have spent a day performing services in Grove City only if the employee spent more time performing services for or on behalf of the employer in Grove City than in any other municipal corporation on that day. For the purposes of determining the amount of time an employee spent in a particular location, the time spent performing one (1) or more of the following activities shall be considered to have been spent at the employee's principal place of work:
            1.   Traveling to the location at which the employee will first perform services for the employer for the day;
            2.   Traveling from a location at which the employee was performing services for the employer to any other location;
            3.   Traveling from any location to another location in order to pick up or load, for the purpose of transportation or delivery, property that has been purchased, sold, assembled, fabricated, repaired, refurbished, processed, remanufactured, or improved by the employee's employer;
            4.   Transporting or delivering property described in subsection (c)(2)B.3., provided that, upon delivery of the property, the employee does not temporarily or permanently affix the property to real estate owned, used, or controlled by a person other than the employee's employer;
            5.   Traveling from the location at which the employee makes the employee's final delivery or pick-up for the day to either the employee's principal place of work or a location at which the employee will not perform services for the employer.
      (3)   If the principal place of work of an employee is located in another Ohio municipal corporation that imposes an income tax, the exception from withholding requirements described in subsection (c)(2)A. shall apply only if, with respect to the employee's qualifying wages described in that subsection, the employer withholds and remits tax on such qualifying wages to that municipal corporation.
      (4)   A.   Except as provided in subsection (c)(4)B., if, during a calendar year, the number of days an employee spends performing personal services in Grove City exceeds the twenty (20) day threshold, the employer shall withhold and remit tax to Grove City for any subsequent days in that calendar year on which the employer pays qualifying wages to the employee for personal services performed in Grove City.
         B.   An employer required to begin withholding tax for Grove City under subsection (c)(4)A. may elect to withhold tax for Grove City for the first twenty (20) days on which the employer paid qualifying wages to the employee for personal services performed in Grove City.
      (5)   If an employer's fixed location is Grove City and the employer qualifies as a small employer as defined in Section 194.02, the employer shall withhold municipal income tax on all of the employee's qualifying wages for a taxable year and remit that tax only to Grove City, regardless of the number of days which the employee worked outside the corporate boundaries of Grove City.
         To determine whether an employer qualifies as a small employer for a taxable year, the employer will be required to provide the Tax Administrator with the employer's federal income tax return for the preceding taxable year.
       (6)   Subsections (c)(2)A. and (4) shall not apply to the extent that a Tax Administrator and an employer enter into an agreement regarding the manner in which the employer shall comply with the requirements of Section 194.04.
(Ord. C85-15. Passed 11-16-15.)
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