(a) Tax Rate. The tax rate shall be at an amount equal to two and six-tenths (2.6) percent of the gross income from the business activity upon every person engaging or continuing in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail. (Regs. 460.2, 460.3, 460.6)
(b) Burden of Proof. The burden of proving that a sale of tangible personal property is not a taxable retail sale shall be upon the person who made the sale.
(c) Exclusions. For the purposes of this article, sales of tangible personal property shall not include:
(1) Sales of stocks, bonds, options or other similar materials.
(2) Sales of lottery tickets or shares pursuant to A.R.S. article I, chapter 5, title 5.
(3) Sales of platinum, bullion or monetized bullion, except minted or manufactured coins transferred or acquired primarily for their numismatic value as prescribed by regulation. (Reg. 460.5)
(4) Gross income derived from the transfer of tangible personal property which is specifically included as the gross income of a business activity upon which another section of this division imposes a tax shall be considered gross income of that business activity and are not includable as gross income subject to the tax imposed by this section. (Reg. 460.1)
(5) Sales by professional or personal service occupations where such sales are inconsequential elements of the service provided. (Reg. 460.4)
(6) Sales of cash equivalents. The gross proceeds of sales or gross income derived from the redemption of any cash equivalent by the holder as means of payment for goods or services that are taxable under this article is subject to the tax. "Cash equivalents" means items or intangibles, whether or not negotiable, that are sold to one or more persons, through which a value denominated in money is purchased in advance and may be redeemed in full or in part for tangible personal property, intangibles or services. Cash equivalents include gift cards, stored value cards, gift certificates, vouchers, traveler's checks, money orders or other instruments, orders or electronic mechanisms, such as an electronic code, personal identification number or digital payment mechanism, or any other prepaid intangible right to acquire tangible personal property, intangibles or services in the future, whether from the seller of the cash equivalent or from another person. Cash equivalents do not include either of the following:
a. Items or intangibles that are sold to one (1) or more persons, through which a value is not denominated in money.
b. Prepaid calling cards or prepaid authorization numbers for telecommunications services made taxable by subsection (g) of this section.
(d) Reserved.
(e) When this city and another Arizona city or town with an equivalent excise tax could claim nexus for taxing a retail sale, the city or town where the permanent business location of the seller at which the order was received shall be deemed to have precedence; and for the purposes of this article, such city or town has sole and exclusive right to such tax.
(f) The appropriate tax liability for any retail sale where the order is received at a permanent business location of the seller located in this city or in an Arizona city or town that levies an equivalent excise tax shall be at the tax rate of the city or town of such seller's location.
(g) Retail sales of prepaid calling cards or prepaid authorization numbers for telecommunications services, including sales of reauthorization of a prepaid card or authorization number, are subject to tax under this section.
(h) Reserved.
(i) Notwithstanding the tax rate identified elsewhere in this section, an additional tax in an amount equal to one-tenth of one (0.1) percent of the gross income from any business activity taxable under this section is imposed pursuant to Chapter IV, Section 5 of the Charter of the City of Tucson.
(Ord. No. 6674, § 3, 3-23-87; Ord. No. 8784, § 6, 12-2-96; Ord. No. 9322, § 9, 11-22-99; Ord. No. 11183, § 16, 6-17-14, eff. 10-1-07; Ord. No. 11479, § 1, 8-8-17; Ord. No. 11485, eff. 8-8-17; Ord. No. 11518, eff. 1-23-18)