S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   39

                      Eighth Extraordinary Session

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              June 29, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of the Governor) -- read
  twice  and  ordered  printed,  and when printed to be committed to the
  Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation  to  authorizing  the  city  of
  Peekskill to impose hotel or motel taxes within such city

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section  1202-aa  to
read as follows:
  S 1202-AA. HOTEL OR MOTEL TAXES IN THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL. (1) NOTWITH-
STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE CITY OF PEEKS-
KILL  IS  HEREBY  AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO ADOPT AND AMEND LOCAL LAWS
IMPOSING IN SUCH CITY A TAX, IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER TAX AUTHORIZED AND
IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SUCH AS THE LEGISLATURE  HAS  OR  WOULD
HAVE  THE  POWER AND AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE UPON PERSONS OCCUPYING HOTEL OR
MOTEL ROOMS IN SUCH CITY. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM
"HOTEL"  OR  "MOTEL"  SHALL  MEAN AND INCLUDE ANY FACILITY CONSISTING OF
RENTABLE UNITS AND PROVIDING LODGING ON AN  OVERNIGHT  BASIS  AND  SHALL
INCLUDE  THOSE  FACILITIES  DESIGNATED  AND  COMMONLY  KNOWN AS "BED AND
BREAKFAST" AND "TOURIST" FACILITIES.
  THE RATES OF SUCH TAX SHALL NOT EXCEED THREE PERCENT OF THE  PER  DIEM
RENTAL  RATE FOR EACH ROOM, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT SUCH TAX SHALL NOT BE
APPLICABLE TO A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF A HOTEL OR MOTEL. FOR THE PURPOSES
OF THIS SECTION THE TERM "PERMANENT RESIDENT" SHALL MEAN A PERSON  OCCU-
PYING  ANY ROOM OR ROOMS IN A HOTEL OR MOTEL FOR AT LEAST NINETY CONSEC-
UTIVE DAYS.
  (2) SUCH TAX MAY BE COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED  BY  THE  CHIEF  FISCAL
OFFICER  OF  THE  CITY  OF PEEKSKILL BY SUCH MEANS AND IN SUCH MANNER AS
OTHER TAXES WHICH ARE NOW COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED BY SUCH OFFICER  OR
AS OTHERWISE MAY BE PROVIDED BY SUCH LOCAL LAW.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04906-01-9

              

S. 39                               2

  (3)  SUCH LOCAL LAWS MAY PROVIDE THAT ANY TAX IMPOSED SHALL BE PAID BY
THE PERSON LIABLE THEREFOR TO THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM OCCU-
PIED OR TO THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT  OR  CHARGE  FOR  THE
HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM OCCUPIED FOR AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL
IMPOSING  THE  TAX AND THAT SUCH OWNER OR PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE
RENT OR CHARGE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR THE COLLECTION  AND  PAYMENT  OF  THE
TAX;  AND  THAT  SUCH  OWNER  OR  PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR
CHARGE SHALL HAVE THE SAME RIGHT IN RESPECT TO COLLECTING THE  TAX  FROM
THE  PERSON  OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM, OR IN RESPECT TO NONPAY-
MENT OF THE TAX BY THE PERSON OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM,  AS  IF
THE  TAX  WERE A PART OF THE RENT OR CHARGE AND PAYABLE AT THE SAME TIME
AS THE RENT OR CHARGE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE CHIEF FISCAL  OFFICER
OF  THE CITY, SPECIFIED IN SUCH LOCAL LAW, SHALL BE JOINED AS A PARTY IN
ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO COLLECT THE TAX BY THE OWNER  OR  BY
THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR CHARGE.
  (4)  SUCH  LOCAL  LAWS  MAY  PROVIDE FOR THE FILING OF RETURNS AND THE
PAYMENT OF THE TAX ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR ON THE BASIS OF ANY  LONGER  OR
SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
  (5)  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT AUTHORIZE THE IMPOSITION OF SUCH TAX UPON
ANY TRANSACTION, BY OR WITH ANY OF  THE  FOLLOWING  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS CHAPTER:
  A.  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK,  OR ANY PUBLIC CORPORATION (INCLUDING A
PUBLIC CORPORATION CREATED PURSUANT TO AGREEMENT OR COMPACT WITH ANOTHER
STATE OR THE DOMINION OF CANADA), IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT  OR  OTHER  POLI-
TICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE;
  B.  THE  UNITED  STATES OF AMERICA, INSOFAR AS IT IS IMMUNE FROM TAXA-
TION;
  C. ANY CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OR TRUST, OR COMMUNITY CHEST,  FUND
OR FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR RELIGIOUS, CHARITA-
BLE  OR  EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, OR FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHIL-
DREN OR ANIMALS, AND NO PART OF THE NET EARNINGS OF WHICH INURES TO  THE
BENEFIT OF ANY PRIVATE SHAREHOLDER OR INDIVIDUAL AND NO SUBSTANTIAL PART
OF  THE  ACTIVITIES  OF  WHICH  IS  CARRYING ON PROPAGANDA, OR OTHERWISE
ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NOTHING  IN
THIS  PARAGRAPH  SHALL  INCLUDE AN ORGANIZATION OPERATED FOR THE PRIMARY
PURPOSE OF CARRYING ON A TRADE OR BUSINESS FOR PROFIT,  WHETHER  OR  NOT
ALL OF ITS PROFITS ARE PAYABLE TO ONE OR MORE ORGANIZATIONS DESCRIBED IN
THIS PARAGRAPH.
  (6) ANY FINAL DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX PAYABLE HEREUNDER
SHALL  BE REVIEWABLE FOR ERROR, ILLEGALITY OR UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OR ANY
OTHER REASON WHATSOEVER BY A PROCEEDING UNDER ARTICLE  SEVENTY-EIGHT  OF
THE  CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES IF APPLICATION THEREFOR IS MADE TO THE
SUPREME COURT WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE GIVING OF THE NOTICE OF  SUCH
FINAL  DETERMINATION,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING UNDER
ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES SHALL  NOT  BE
INSTITUTED UNLESS:
  A. THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX SOUGHT TO BE REVIEWED, WITH SUCH INTEREST AND
PENALTIES  THEREON  AS  MAY  BE PROVIDED FOR BY LOCAL LAW SHALL BE FIRST
DEPOSITED AND THERE IS FILED AN UNDERTAKING, ISSUED BY A SURETY  COMPANY
AUTHORIZED TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN THIS STATE AND APPROVED BY THE SUPER-
INTENDENT  OF INSURANCE OF THIS STATE AS TO SOLVENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY,
IN SUCH AMOUNT AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT SHALL  APPROVE  TO  THE
EFFECT  THAT  IF  SUCH  PROCEEDING BE DISMISSED OR THE TAX CONFIRMED THE
PETITIONER WILL PAY ALL COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY ACCRUE IN THE PROSE-
CUTION OF SUCH PROCEEDING; OR

S. 39                               3

  B. AT THE OPTION OF THE PETITIONER SUCH UNDERTAKING MAY BE  IN  A  SUM
SUFFICIENT  TO  COVER  THE TAXES, INTERESTS AND PENALTIES STATED IN SUCH
DETERMINATION PLUS THE COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY ACCRUE AGAINST IT  IN
THE  PROSECUTION  OF THE PROCEEDING, IN WHICH EVENT THE PETITIONER SHALL
NOT  BE REQUIRED TO PAY SUCH TAXES, INTEREST OR PENALTIES AS A CONDITION
PRECEDENT TO THE APPLICATION.
  (7) WHERE ANY TAX IMPOSED HEREUNDER SHALL HAVE BEEN ERRONEOUSLY, ILLE-
GALLY OR UNCONSTITUTIONALLY COLLECTED AND  APPLICATION  FOR  THE  REFUND
THEREOF  DULY  MADE  TO  THE PROPER FISCAL OFFICER OR OFFICERS, AND SUCH
OFFICER OR OFFICERS SHALL HAVE MADE A DETERMINATION DENYING SUCH REFUND,
SUCH DETERMINATION SHALL BE REVIEWABLE BY  A  PROCEEDING  UNDER  ARTICLE
SEVENTY-EIGHT  OF  THE  CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES, PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT SUCH PROCEEDING IS INSTITUTED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER  THE  GIVING
OF  THE NOTICE OF SUCH DENIAL, THAT A FINAL DETERMINATION OF TAX DUE WAS
NOT PREVIOUSLY MADE, AND THAT AN UNDERTAKING IS FILED  WITH  THE  PROPER
FISCAL  OFFICER  OR  OFFICERS IN SUCH AMOUNT AND WITH SUCH SURETIES AS A
JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT SHALL APPROVE TO THE EFFECT  THAT  IF  SUCH
PROCEEDING  BE  DISMISSED  OR THE TAX CONFIRMED, THE PETITIONER WILL PAY
ALL COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH  MAY  ACCRUE  IN  THE  PROSECUTION  OF  SUCH
PROCEEDING.
  (8)  EXCEPT  IN THE CASE OF A WILFULLY FALSE OR FRAUDULENT RETURN WITH
INTENT TO EVADE THE TAX, NO ASSESSMENT OF ADDITIONAL TAX SHALL  BE  MADE
AFTER  THE  EXPIRATION  OF  MORE  THAN  THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE
FILING OF A RETURN, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT WHERE  NO  RETURN  HAS  BEEN
FILED AS PROVIDED BY LAW THE TAX MAY BE ASSESSED AT ANY TIME.
  (9)  ALL  REVENUES  RESULTING FROM THE IMPOSITION OF THE TAX UNDER THE
LOCAL LAWS SHALL BE PAID INTO THE TREASURY OF THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL  AND
SHALL  BE CREDITED TO AND DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND OF THE CITY; AND
THE LOCAL LAW SHALL PROVIDE THAT THE CITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO  RETAIN
THE  NECESSARY REVENUE TO DEFER THE EXPENSE OF THE CITY IN ADMINISTERING
SUCH TAX AND THE BALANCE OF SUCH REVENUES SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO  ENHANCE
THE GENERAL ECONOMY OF THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL.
  (10)  IF  ANY  PROVISION OF THIS SECTION OR THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO
ANY PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL BE HELD INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF  THIS
SECTION  AND  THE  APPLICATION  OF  SUCH  PROVISION  TO OTHER PERSONS OR
CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL NOT BE AFFECTED THEREBY.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.