(a) Amount. For each canvasser's or solicitor's license issued under this article the licensee shall pay to the Director of Finance a license fee of ten dollars ($10.00) per year. On or after January 1, and before July 1 the amount of such fee for annual license shall be one-half the amount stipulated above for a fiscal year which begins on July 1 and terminates the following June 30.
(b) Fee Imposing Burden on Interstate Commerce. No license fee required by this article 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 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 a burden upon interstate commerce.
Such application may be made before, at or within six months after payment of the prescribed license fee. The applicant shall, by affidavit and supporting testimony, show his method of business and the 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 interstate commerce. The City Manager shall then conduct an investigation, comparing applicant's business with other business of like nature, and shall make findings of fact from which he shall determine whether the fee fixed by this article is unfair, unreasonable or discriminatory as to 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 assure that the fee assessed shall be uniform with that assessed on businesses of like nature, so long as the amount assessed does not exceed ten dollars ($10.00). 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 applicant's business in the City or at the end of each three-month period, a sworn statement of the gross sales and pay the amount of fee therefor, provided that no additional fee during any one fiscal year shall be required after the licensee shall have paid an amount equal to the annual license fee of ten dollars ($10.00).
(1977 Code Sec. 33.04.)