Section 45-8-243 Levy of Tax; Failure to Add Tax or Refund or Absorption of Tax; Disposition of Funds; Affixing of Tax Stamps; Rules and Regulations; Construction and Application.

(a) The Calhoun County Commission is hereby authorized to impose upon every person, firm, corporation, club, association, partnership, or other legal entity who or which sells, stores, delivers, uses, or otherwise consumes tobacco or certain tobacco products in Calhoun County a county privilege, license, or excise tax in the following amounts: (1) Three cents ($0.03) for each package of cigarettes, made of tobacco or any substitute therefor. (2) Three cents ($0.03) for each sack, can, package, or other container of smoking tobacco, including granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready rubbed, and other kinds and forms of tobacco which are prepared in such manner as to be suitable for smoking in a pipe or cigarette. (3) Three cents ($0.03) for each sack, plug, package, or other container of chewing tobacco, which tobacco is prepared in such manner as to be suitable for chewing only and not suitable for smoking as described in subdivision (2). (4) Three cents ($0.03) for each can, bottle, glass, tumbler, package, or other container of snuff made of tobacco or any substitute therefor. Said privilege, license, or excise tax shall be in addition to all other federal, state, or local taxes heretofore imposed by law. Provided, however, when the privilege, license or excise tax hereby required to be paid shall have been paid by a wholesaler or seller of cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products, such payment shall be sufficient, the intent being that such privilege, license, or excise tax hereby required to be paid shall be paid but once on each package of cigarettes, each package of cigars or cigarellos, on each cigar, cheroot, or stogie, and on each sack, can, bottle, glass, tumbler, plug, package, or other container of smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, or snuff, as herein provided. (b) Upon the passage of a unanimously adopted resolution by the entire Calhoun County Commission, every person, firm, corporation, club, association, partnership, or other legal entity that sells or stores or receives for the purpose of distribution in Calhoun County any cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products shall add the amount of the privilege, license, or excise tax levied and assessed herein to the price of the cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products, it being the purpose and intent of this provision that the tax levied is, in fact, a levy on the consumer with the person, firm, corporation, club, association, partnership, or other legal entity, who or which sells or stores or receives for the purpose of distributing the cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products, acting merely as agent for the collection of the tax. The dealer, storer, or distributor shall state the amount of the tax separately from the price of the cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products, on all price display signs, sales, or delivery slips, bills, and statements which advertise or indicate the price of the cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products. Provided, however, that the resolution shall not be effective unless the Calhoun County Commission has given 10 days’ public notice of the meeting at which the resolution is considered. (c) It shall be unlawful for any dealer, storer, or distributor engaged in or continuing in Calhoun County in the business for which the tax is hereby levied to fail or refuse to add to the price and collect from the purchaser the amount due on account on the tax herein provided, or to refund, or offer to refund all or part of the amount collected, or absorb or advertise directly or indirectly the absorption of the tax or any portion thereof. (d) The proceeds from the tax hereby authorized, less the actual cost of collection not to exceed five per centum shall be paid by the State Department of Revenue into the county general fund of Calhoun County to be expended at the discretion of the Calhoun County Commission for the erection, construction, or maintenance of the necessary public buildings in Calhoun County. (e) The tax hereby authorized shall be paid by affixing stamps as is required for the payment of the tax imposed by Section 40-25-1 through Section 40-25-28. The State Department of Revenue shall have the same duties relative to the preparation and sale of stamps to evidence the payment of such tax that it has relative to the preparation and sale of stamps under those sections and may exercise the same powers and perform the same duties in the same manner relative to the collection of the tax hereby levied that it does relative to the collection of that tax. (f) The State Department of Revenue is hereby authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to effectuate the purpose of this section. All such rules and regulations duly promulgated shall have the force and effect of law. (g) All laws, rules, and regulations of the Department of Revenue, relating to the manner and time of payment of the tax levied by Section 40-25-1 through Section 40-25-28, requiring reports from dealers and prescribing penalties for violations shall apply with equal force to the tax levied by this section as if fully set out herein. (h)(1) None of the provisions of this section shall be applied in such a manner as to be in violation of the commerce or other clauses of the federal or state constitution. (2) This statute shall not be construed to apply to cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and like tobacco products stored by a wholesale dealer for the purpose of resale or reshipment outside of Calhoun County which are actually resold or reshipped.