When used in this article:
(a) "Tax Year" or "Taxable Year" means either the calendar year or the taxpayer's fiscal year when permission is obtained from the City Recorder to use the same as the tax period in lieu of the calendar year.
(b) "Sale" or "Sales" includes the exchange of properties as well as the sale thereof for money; every closed transaction constituting a sale.
(c) "Taxpayer" means any person liable for any tax hereunder.
(d) "Gross income" means the gross receipts of the taxpayer: received as compensation for personal services and the gross receipts of the taxpayer derived from trade, business, commerce, or sales and the value proceeding or accruing from the sale of tangible property (real or personal) or service, or both, and all receipts by reason of the investment of the capital of the business engaged in, including interest, discount, rentals, royalties, fees or other emoluments however designated and without any deductions on account of the cost of property sold, the cost of materials used, labor costs, taxes, royalties, interest or discount paid or any other expense whatsoever.
(e) "Business" as used in this article, shall include all activities engaged in or caused to be engaged in with the object of gain or economic benefit, either direct or indirect. The production of raw materials or manufactured products, which are used or consumed in the main business, shall be deemed business engaged in, taxable in the class in which it falls.
(f) "Gross proceeds of sales" means the value actually proceeding from the sale of tangible property without any deduction on account of the cost of property sold or expenses of any kind. The words "Gross Income" and "Gross Proceeds of Sale" shall not be construed to include cash discounts allowed and taken on sales; the proceeds of sales of goods, wares or merchandise returned by customers when the sale price is refunded in cash or by credit; or the sale price of any article accepted as part payment on any new article sold, if the full price of the new article is included in the gross income of gross proceeds of said sale.
(g) "Service-business or calling" shall include activities engaged in for other persons for a consideration, which involves the rendering of a service as distinguished from the production or sale of tangible property, but shall not include the service rendered by an employee to his employer.
(h) The classification of "Wholesaler" or "Jobber" shall apply only to a person doing a regularly organized jobbing business, known to the trade as such, selling to licensed retail merchants or jobbers or to others in wholesale quantities, and at wholesale prices.
(i) "Collector" means the City Recorder.