Code of the District of Columbia

§ 47–2501. Gas, electric lighting, telephone, telecommunications, and heating oil companies.

(a) Before the 21st day of each calendar month, each telephone company that sells public utility services or commodities within the District, and each nonpublic utility who sells artificial gas that is delivered, by any method of delivery, to an end-user in the District shall:

(1) File an affidavit with the Mayor indicating the amount of its gross receipts for the preceding calendar month from the sales or distribution of public utility services and commodities, or the sale of artificial gas by a nonpublic utility that is delivered, by any method, to an end-user in the District;

(2) Until December 31, 2004, pay to the Mayor 11% of these gross receipts from sales included in bills for a telephone company, 11% of these gross receipts from deliveries for a person who delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District, or 11% of these gross receipts from sales determined from meters for a gas company; and until December 31, 2004, pay to the Mayor 11% of the gross receipts from the sales of natural or artificial gas by a nonpublic utility person delivered, by any method, to an end-user located in the District;

(3) After December 31, 2004, pay to the Mayor 11% of these gross receipts from sales included in bills rendered after December 31, 2004 for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from sales included in bills rendered after December 31, 2004 for residential customers for a telephone company, 11% of these gross receipts from deliveries made after December 31, 2004 for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from deliveries made after December 31, 2004 for residential customers for a person who delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District, or 11% of these gross receipts from sales determined from meters read after December 31, 2004 for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from sales determined from meters read after December 31, 2004 for residential customers for a gas company; or

(4) After December 31, 2004, pay to the Mayor 11% of the gross receipts from the sales of natural or artificial gas by a nonpublic utility person delivered after December 31, 2004, by any method, to a nonresidential end-user located in the District and 10% of the gross receipts from the sales of natural or artificial gas by a nonpublic utility person delivered after December 31, 2004, by any method, to a residential end-user located in the District.

(5) After December 1, 2005, pay to the Mayor:

(A) 11% of these gross receipts from the sales included in bills rendered after December 1, 2005, for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from sales included in bills rendered after December 1, 2005, for residential customers for a telephone company,

(B) 11% of these gross receipts from deliveries made after December 1, 2005, for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from deliveries made after December 1, 2005, for residential customers for a person who delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District; or

(C) 11% of those gross receipts from the sales of artificial gas delivered by any method after December 1, 2005, for nonresidential customers and 10% of those gross receipts from sales of artificial gas delivered by any method after December 1, 2005, for residential customers by a nonpublic utility to an end-user in the District.

(6) After September 30, 2006, pay to the Mayor:

(A)(i) 11% of these gross receipts from the sales included in bills rendered after September 30, 2006, for nonresidential customers and 10% of these gross receipts from sales included in bills rendered after September 30, 2006, for residential customers for a telephone company;

(ii) For the purposes of sub-subparagraph (i) of this subparagraph, in determining whether a particular customer is a residential or nonresidential customer, a telephone company may rely upon existing customer classifications, such as “individual,” “consumer,” “enterprise,” “business,” “corporate,” or “government”.

(B) 11% of those gross receipts from the sales of artificial gas delivered by any method after September 30, 2006, for nonresidential customers and 10% of those gross receipts from sales of artificial gas delivered by any method after September 30, 2006, for residential customers by a nonpublic utility to an end-user in the District.

(a-1) [Repealed].

(a-2) One-eleventh of the total tax collected from nonresidential customers pursuant to subsection (a)(3), (4), (5), and (6) of this section, or any successor tax, shall be deposited in the Ballpark Revenue Fund established by [§ 10-1601.02].

(a-3) For sales included in bills rendered after December 1, 2005, before the 21st day of each month beginning January 2006, each gas company that provides distribution services to District customers shall:

(1) File an affidavit with the Mayor indicating the number of therms of natural gas delivered for final consumption in the District for the preceding billing period; and

(2)(A)(i) Pay to the Mayor a tax of $0.0703, beginning December 2, 2005 and ending September 28, 2006, for each therm of natural gas delivered to end-users in the District for the billing period;

(ii) Pay to the Mayor a tax of $0.0707, beginning September 29, 2006, for each therm of natural gas delivered to end-users in the District for the preceding billing period; and

(B)(i) Pay to the Mayor an additional tax of $0.00983, beginning December 2, 2005 and ending September 28, 2006, for each therm of natural gas delivered to nonresidential end-users in the District for the billing period;

(ii) Pay to the Mayor an additional tax of $0.00707, beginning September 29, 2006, for each therm of natural gas delivered to nonresidential end-users in the District for the preceding billing period.

(iii) Revenues received by the District pursuant to this subparagraph shall be deposited in the Ballpark Revenue Fund established by § 10-1601.02. Payments under this subparagraph shall be in addition to any other payments under this section.

(iv) For the purposes of this subparagraph, for meter readings on or after June 28, 2006, residential end-use customers with group-metered accounts shall be residential customers. Group-metered accounts shall include service to any multiple dwelling building or property with 4 or more dwelling units.

(3) Each gas company that provides distribution services to District customers shall be allowed to recover the tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this section in its rates as a surcharge on customers’ bills.

(4) The tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be reflected as a separate line item on each bill for distribution services sent by each gas company that provides distribution services to District.

(a-4)(1) For sales included in bills rendered after September 30, 2006, before the 21st day of each month beginning November 1, 2006, each person who delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District shall:

(A) File an affidavit with the Mayor indicating the number of gallons of home heating oil delivered for final consumption in the District for the preceding billing period; and

(B)(i) Pay to the Mayor a tax of $0.17, beginning October 1, 2006, for each gallon of home heating oil delivered to end-users in the District for the preceding billing period; and

(ii)(I) Pay to the Mayor an additional tax of $0.017, beginning October 1, 2006, for each gallon of home heating oil delivered to nonresidential end-users in the District for the preceding billing period.

(II) Revenues received by the District pursuant to this sub-subparagraph shall be deposited in the Ballpark Revenue Fund established by [§ 10-1601.02]. Payments under this subparagraph shall be in addition to any other payments under this section.

(III) For the purposes of this sub-subparagraph, beginning July 1, 2006, in determining whether a particular customer is a residential or nonresidential customer, all deliveries to a personal place of dwelling shall be considered residential, including end-users living in cooperative housing associations, condominiums, and apartment communities.

(2) Any gross receipts from sales made on or after October 1, 2006, that are not included in bills rendered after September 30, 2006, and taxed under subsection (a-4) of this section shall be taxed at the appropriate rates provided in subsection (a)(5) of this section and reported in the affidavit due on October 21, 2006.

(3) Each person who delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District shall be allowed to recover the tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this section in its rates as a surcharge on customers’ bills.

(4) The tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be reflected as a separate line item on each bill for heating oil delivered to an end-user in the District sent by each person who delivers heating oil to end-users in the District.

(b)(1)(A) For the period beginning July 1, 1986, and ending February 28, 1989, each telecommunication company not subject to the tax imposed by subsection (a) of this section shall:

(i) Report by affidavit filed with the Mayor the amount of its monthly gross receipts from the sale of toll telecommunication services that originate from or terminate on telecommunication equipment located in the District and for which a toll charge or periodic charge is billed to an apparatus, telephone, or account in the District, to a customer location in the District, or to a person residing in the District, without regard to where the bill for the service is physically received; and

(ii) Pay to the Mayor 6.7% of these gross receipts.

(B) To prevent actual multi-state taxation of the sale of toll telecommunication service, for the month beginning July 1, 1986, and for each succeeding month, any telecommunication company, upon proof that it has paid a properly due excise, sales, use, or gross receipts tax in another jurisdiction on a sale that is subject to taxation under this act, shall be allowed a credit against the tax for the amount paid, but in no event shall the credit permitted under this section exceed the tax imposed under this act.

(2) For each calendar month in the period beginning after September 30, 1987, and ending February 28, 1989, each telecommunication company shall pay the gross receipts tax imposed by this subsection before the 21st day of the succeeding calendar month. The affidavits for each calendar month shall be filed at the time payment is made or on the 20th day of the succeeding calendar month, whichever is earlier.

(3)(A) For the period beginning July 1, 1986, and ending August 31, 1987, the gross receipts tax imposed by this subsection shall be due on October 1, 1987. The tax for this period shall be paid in 2 equal installments before November 1, 1987, and before January 1, 1988. The Mayor may, upon written application made before the date prescribed for payment of the tax, grant a reasonable extension of time for paying the tax whenever good cause exists for the extension. The affidavits for each calendar month of this period shall be filed at the time the first installment payment is made or on October 30, 1987, whichever is earlier.

(B) For the period beginning September 1, 1987, and ending September 30, 1987, the gross receipts tax imposed by this subsection shall be paid before October 21, 1987. The required affidavit shall be filed at the time the payment is made or on October 20, 1987, whichever is earlier.

(C) Each telecommunication company subject to the gross receipts tax imposed by this subsection for the period beginning July 1, 1986, and ending September 30, 1987, shall be allowed a credit against the gross receipts tax imposed by this subsection for the amount of personal property tax that is allocable to the period beginning July 1, 1986, and ending September 30, 1987, and that is paid pursuant to § 47-1501 [repealed], and subchapter II of Chapter 15 of this title.

(D) Beginning July 1, 1986, a telecommunication company subject to the tax imposed by this act may be allowed an alternate method of reporting its monthly gross receipts upon showing, to the satisfaction of the Mayor that the telecommunication company does not have the capability to identify the jurisdiction of origination or termination of a particular toll telecommunication service. This showing shall be made by a written petition to the Mayor, which shall include the factual basis for the company’s inability to identify the jurisdiction of origination or termination of a particular toll telecommunication service, with supporting documentation, and an alternative method of reporting for the services for which the company is unable to identify the jurisdiction of origination or termination that the company believes is reasonable and equitable, with supporting documentation. The Mayor may employ a reasonable and equitable alternate method for reporting a telecommunication company’s gross receipts from this service based on information submitted pursuant to this subsection or any other information made available to the Mayor. Any alternate method for reporting a telecommunication company’s gross receipts that is authorized by the Mayor shall apply only to the service for which the company is unable to identify the jurisdiction of origination or termination and shall not affect the reporting of any other gross receipts. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to relieve the obligation of a telecommunication company to pay the tax imposed by this act.

(4) Gross receipts from the sale by any telecommunication company of toll telecommunication services for resale to any other telecommunication company subject to the gross receipts tax under this subsection shall be exempt from the gross receipts tax under this subsection.

(5) For purposes of this subsection:

(A) The term “telecommunication company” includes and is not limited to every person, as defined in § 47-2001(i), and lessee of a person who provides for the transmission or reception within the District of Columbia of any form of toll telecommunication service for a consideration.

(B) The term “toll telecommunication service” means the transmission or reception of any sound, vision, or speech communication for which there is a toll charge that varies in amount with the distance or elapsed transmission time of each individual communication; or the transmission or reception of any sound, vision, or speech communication that entitles a person, as defined in § 47-2001(i), upon the payment of a periodic charge, which is determined as a flat amount or upon the basis of total elapsed transmission time, to an unlimited number of communications to or from all or a substantial portion of the persons having telephone or radio telephone stations in a specified area that is outside the local telephone system area in which the station providing this service is located.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each gas company, electric company, telephone company, telecommunication company, and each person who, by any method of delivery, delivers heating oil to an end-user in the District, and each nonpublic utility who sells natural or artificial gas that is delivered, by any method, to an end-user in the District subject to the tax imposed by this section shall pay, in addition to any tax imposed by this section, the franchise tax imposed by Chapter 18 of this title, the real property tax imposed by Chapter 8 of this title, and the personal property tax imposed by § 47-1501 [repealed], and subchapter II of Chapter 15 of this title, to the extent provided in § 47-1508. Beginning in FY 1999, the amount of tax imposed by this section shall not be calculated as gross revenues to which the tax is then applied.

(d) Before February 1, 1988, the Mayor shall:

(1) Report to the Council on the tax treatment of telecommunication and related services in other jurisdictions; and

(2) Make recommendations as to what, if any, additional telecommunication and related services should be subject to tax by the District.

(d-1)(1) Before the 21st day of each calendar month, each electric company that provides distribution services to District of Columbia ratepayers shall:

(A) File an affidavit with the Mayor indicating the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity delivered for final consumption in the District of Columbia for the preceding calendar month; and

(B)(i) Pay to the Mayor a tax of $0.007 for each kilowatt-hour of electricity delivered to end-users in the District of Columbia for the preceding calendar month; and

(ii)(I) Pay to the Mayor a tax of $0.0007 for each kilowatt-hour of electricity delivered to nonresidential end-users in the District of Columbia for the preceding calendar month.

(II) Revenues received by the District pursuant to this sub-subparagraph shall be deposited in the Ballpark Revenue Fund established by § 10-1601.02. Payments under this sub-subparagraph shall be in addition to any other payments under this section.

(2) Each electric company providing distribution services to District of Columbia ratepayers shall be allowed to recover the tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this subsection in its rates. Recovery of the tax shall not be subject to any rate cap imposed pursuant to In the Matter of the Investigation into Electrical Services, Market Competition, and Regulation Policies, Formal Case No. 945 (Public Service Commission 1995) or Chapter 15 of Title 34.

(3) The tax imposed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be reflected as a separate line item on each bill for distribution services sent by an electric company.

(4) The rate of tax in paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection shall be subject to reduction in accordance with § 47-143.

(e) The Mayor shall issue retroactive and prospective rules necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section in accordance with § 2-505.