Article 43

LICENSES AND PERMITS OF DELINQUENT TAXPAYERS

Section 1               Report of Delinquent Taxpayers and Subject Property

The tax collector or other municipal official responsible for records of all municipal taxes, assessments, betterments and other municipal charges, hereinafter referred to as the tax collector, shall annually furnish to each department, board, commission or division, hereinafter referred to as the licensing authority, that issues licenses or permits including renewals and transfers, a list of any person, corporation, or business enterprise, hereinafter referred to as the party, that has neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal charges for not less than a twelve month period, and that such party has not filed in good faith a pending application for an abatement of such tax or pending petition before the appellate tax board, and a list of properties for which such taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal charges have not been paid.

Section 2               Denial, Revocation, or Suspension of Licenses and Permits

The licensing authority may deny, revoke or suspend any license or permit, including renewals and transfers of any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing authority from the tax collector; provided, however, that written notice is given to the party and the tax collector, as required by applicable provisions of law, and the party is given a hearing, to be held not earlier than fourteen days after said notice. Said list shall be prima facie evidence for denial, revocation or suspension of said license or permit to any party. The tax collector shall have the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to such license denial, revocation or suspension.

The Building Commissioner or Community Development Department may deny an application for a permit regarding property which appears on said list of properties for which a tax, fee, assessment or other municipal charge has not been paid.  Said list shall be prima facie evidence for denial of said license or permit application of any party.  The tax collector shall have the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to such license or permit.

Any findings made by the licensing authority with respect to such license denial, revocation or suspension shall be made only for the purposes of such proceeding and shall not be relevant to or introduced in any other proceeding at law, except for any appeal from such license denial, revocation or suspension. Any license or permit denied, suspended or revoked under this section shall not be reissued or renewed until the license authority receives a certificate issued by the tax collector that the party is in good standing with respect to any and all local taxes, fees assessments, betterments or other municipal charges, payable to the municipality as the date of issuance of said certificate, or that all local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal  charges have been paid to the municipality as of the date of issuance of said certificate, as applicable.

Section 3               Payment Agreements

Any party shall be given an opportunity to enter into a payment agreement, thereby allowing the licensing authority to issue a certificate indicating said limitations to the license or permit and the validity of said license shall be conditioned upon the satisfactory compliance with said agreement.  Failure to comply with said agreement shall be grounds for the suspension or revocation of said license or permit; provided, however, that the holder be given notice and a hearing as required by applicable provisions of law.

Section 4               Waiving of Penalty by Board of Selectmen

The Board of Selectmen may waive such denial, suspension or revocation if it finds there is no direct or indirect business interest by the property owner, its officers or stockholders, if any, or members of his immediate family, as defined in section one of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight in the business or activity conducted in or on said property.

Section 5               Exclusions

This by-law shall not apply to the following licenses and permits:  open burning, section thirteen of chapter forty-eight; bicycle permits, section eleven A of chapter eighty-five; sales of articles for charitable purposes, section thirty-three of chapter one hundred and one; children work permits, section sixty-nine of chapter one hundred and forty-nine; clubs, associations dispensing food or beverage license, section twenty-one E of chapter one hundred and forty; dog licenses, section one hundred and thirty-seven of chapter one hundred and forty; fishing, hunting, trapping license, section twelve of chapter one hundred and thirty-one; marriage licenses, section twenty-eight of chapter two hundred and seven; and theatrical events, public exhibition permits, section one hundred and eighty-one of chapter one hundred and forty.