SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2005 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 2.2, as amended, 5.5, and 9.3, as amended, of Chapter 319 of the Acts of Assembly of 1966 are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 2.2. Financial Powers.
In addition to the powers granted by other sections of this Charter, the City shall have the power:
(a) To raise annually by taxes and assessments, as permitted by General Law, in the City such sums of money as the Council shall deem necessary to pay the debts and defray the expenses of the City, in such manner as the Council shall deem necessary or expedient. In addition to but not as a limitation upon this general grant of power, the City shall have power to levy and collect ad valorem taxes on real estate and tangible personal property and machinery and tools; to levy and collect gross receipts taxes against public utilities; to levy and collect taxes for admission to or other charge for any public amusement, entertainment, performance, exhibition, sport or athletic event in the City, which taxes may be added to and collected with the price of such admission or other charge; to levy and collect taxes on hotel and motel rooms; unless prohibited by General Law to require licenses, prohibit the conduct of any business, profession, vocation or calling without such a license, require taxes to be paid on such licenses in respect of all businesses, professions, vocations and callings which cannot, in the opinion of the Council, be reached by the ad valorem system; and to require licenses of owners of vehicles of all kinds for the privilege of using the streets, and other public places in the City, require taxes to be paid on such licenses and prohibit the use of streets, alleys and other public places in the City without such license.
(b) To budget, borrow, appropriate and expend, without being
bound by other provisions of this Charter, in an amount not in excess of 10% ten
percent of the total General Fund Budget of the preceding fiscal year, for
the purpose of meeting a public emergency; provided that any such action shall
require the affirmative votes of two-thirds of the entire Council and shall be
in the form of an ordinance containing a clear statement of the nature and the
extent of the emergency.
(c) To levy a transient occupancy tax on hotels, motels and
boarding houses. Such tax shall be in such amount and on such terms as the
Council may, by ordinance prescribe; provided, that such tax shall not exceed 4%
four percent of the amount of charge for the occupancy of any room
occupied. The tax imposed hereunder shall not apply to rooms rented for
continuous occupancy for thirty or more days in hotels, motels, and boarding
houses.
§ 5.5. Induction of Members.
The City Clerk shall administer the oath of office to the duly
elected members of the Council and to the Mayor on or before June thirtieth
immediately following their election. In the absence of the City Clerk
the oath may be administered by any judicial officer having jurisdiction in the
City. The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its
members. The first meeting of a newly elected Council shall take place in the
Council chamber in the City Hall at eight o'clock P.M. on the first
Tuesday of July following their election.
§ 9.3. City Attorney.--Powers and Duties.
The City Attorney shall be the legal advisor of (1) the
Council, (2) the City Manager, and (3) of all departments, boards, commissions
and agencies of the City, in all matters affecting the interests of the City
and shall, (a) upon authorized request, furnish a written opinion on any
question of law involving their respective official powers and duties; (b) at
the request of the City Manager or of the Council prepare ordinances for
introduction and render his opinion as to the form and legality thereof; (c)
draw or approve all bonds, deeds, leases, contracts or other instruments to
which the City is a party or in which it has an interest; (d) have the
management and control of all the law business of the City and the departments,
boards, commissions and agencies thereof, or in which the City has an interest
as the Council may from time to time direct; (e) represent the City as counsel
in any civil case in which it is interested and in criminal cases in which the
constitutionality or validity of any ordinance is brought in issue; (f) with
the approval of the Council, institute and prosecute all legal proceedings he
shall deem necessary or proper to protect the interests of the City and
prosecute all misdemeanors committed in violation of the City Code within the
City have the power to prosecute in the courts of the Commonwealth of
Virginia all violations of law constituting misdemeanors and traffic violations
committed within the city, whether violations of city ordinances or the laws of
the Commonwealth of Virginia; (g) attend in person or assign one of his
assistants to attend all regular meetings of the Council and all other meetings
of Council unless excused by a majority of the Council; (h) appoint and remove
such Assistant City Attorneys and other employees as shall be authorized by the
Council, (h1) authorize the Assistant City Attorneys or any of them or special
counsel appointed by the Council to perform any of the duties imposed upon him
in this Charter; and (i) have such other powers and duties as may be assigned
to him by ordinance. The School Board shall have authority to employ legal
counsel.