From and after the effective date of this section, there is hereby levied an annual inspection fee and service charge upon each and every person, firm and corporation operating a telephone exchange in the city in an amount equal to 2% of the gross revenues for each current year for exchange telephone transmission service rendered wholly within the limits of the city to compensate said city for the expense incurred and services rendered, incident to the exercise of its police power, supervision, police regulation and police control of the construction of lines and equipment of said telephone company in the city. The said inspection fee and charge shall be due and payable to the city on or before April 1 of each year, commencing with April 1, 1958, for the calendar year ending December 31, preceding or fractional part thereof, and shall be paid into and appropriated and expended from the General Revenue Fund of the city; provided, however, that any amount due for a fractional part of the first year covered hereby shall be payable on April 1 of the following year in which this section is enacted.
(B) During continued substantial compliance with the terms of this section by the owner of any telephone exchange, the charge levied hereby shall be and continue to be in lieu of all concessions, charges, excise, franchise, license, privilege and permit fees for taxes or assessments, except ad valorem taxes; provided, however, that it is not intended hereby to extinguish or abrogate any existing arrangement whereby the city is permitted to use underground conduit, duct space or pole contacts of said company for the fire alarm and/or police call systems of the city.
(Ord. 230, passed 7-9-1957)