(a) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that the City provides to all individuals within its border's certain services, whether they are residents employed within the City, or Individuals living outside the City and employees within the corporate boundaries of the City.
(b) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that such services include police protection, fire protection including emergency medical services, and traffic and street infrastructure maintenance and improvements including but not limited to water and sewer utilities, stormwater, curbing, sidewalks, street paving, lighting, street scaping, parking etc.
(c) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that such services are within the authority and are the responsibility of the municipal government of the City of Wheeling as provided under the general laws of the State of West Virginia.
(d) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that since such services are essential to the creation and maintenance of those jobs which provide livelihoods to all individuals employed within the City, as well as to the property interest of residents.
(e) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that West Virginia Code §8-13-13 provides that every municipality has the plenary power and authority to provide by ordinance for the installation, continuance, maintenance or improvement of such services, to make reasonable regulations with respect thereto, and to impose by ordinance upon the users of such services reasonable rates, fees and charges to be collected in the manner prescribed in the ordinance.
(f) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that all of those individuals, who use, enjoy and benefit from these services, should bear an equitable share of the costs thereof.
(g) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that the imposition of the City Service Fee established herein is a reasonable system of distributing the costs to all of the users that the City can reach through reasonable and prudent means and legislation.
(h) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that the Legislature of the State of West Virginia has conferred upon municipalities the plenary power to enact reasonable administrative provisions to ensure the efficient, orderly and equitable implementation and collection of the service fees from all users.
(i) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Wheeling and the users of City services to enact this Article to impose a City Service Fee.
(j) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that there are thousands of individuals who benefit from municipal services who are not owners of property or residents of the City of Wheeling, but who are employed within the City.
(k) The City Council of the City of Wheeling finds that employers located within the City possess important employment information necessary to properly enforce certain aspects and provisions of this Article and that, therefore, reasonable regulations concerning obtaining certain information from such employers shall be a necessary and important part of the administration of the city service fee. (Ord. 15299. Passed 8-20-19.)