N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-164.44I — Distribution of part of sales tax on video programming service and telecommunications service to counties and cities

(a) Distribution. - The Secretary must distribute to the counties and cities part of the taxes imposed by G.S. 105-164.4(a)(4c) on telecommunications service and G.S. 105-164.4(a)(6) on video programming service. The Secretary must make the distribution within 75 days after the end of each calendar quarter. The amount the Secretary must distribute is the sum of the revenue listed in this subsection. From this amount, the Secretary must first make the distribution required by subsection (b) of this section and then distribute the remainder in accordance with subsections (c) and (d) of this section. The revenue to be distributed under this section consists of the following: (1) The amount specified in G.S. 105-164.44F(a)(2). (2) Twenty three and six tenths percent (23.6%) of the net proceeds of the taxes collected during the quarter on video programming, other than on direct-to-home satellite service. (3) Thirty-seven and one tenths percent (37.1%) of the net proceeds of the taxes collected during the quarter on direct-to-home satellite service. (b) Supplemental PEG Channel Support. - G.S. 105-164.44J sets out the requirements for receipt by a county or city of supplemental PEG channel support funds distributed under this subsection. The Secretary must include the applicable amount of supplemental PEG channel support in each quarterly distribution to a county or city. The amount to include is one-fourth of the share of each qualifying PEG channel certified by the city or county under G.S. 105-164.44J. The share of each certified PEG channel is the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) and the amount of any funds returned to the Secretary in the prior fiscal year under G.S. 105-164.44J(d) divided by the number of PEG channels certified under G.S. 105-164.44J. A county or city may not receive PEG channel support under this subsection for more than three qualifying PEG channels. For purposes of this subsection, the term "qualifying PEG channel" has the same meaning as in G.S. 105-164.44J. (c) 2006-2007 Fiscal Year Distribution. - The share of a county or city is its proportionate share of the amount to be distributed to all counties and cities under this subsection. The proportionate share of a county or city is the base amount for the county or city compared to the base amount for all other counties and cities. The base amount of a county or city that did not impose a cable franchise tax under G.S. 153A-154 or G.S. 160A-214 before July 1, 2006, is two dollars ($2.00) times the most recent annual population estimate for that county or city. The base amount of a county or city that imposed a cable franchise tax under either G.S. 153A-154 or G.S. 160A-214 before July 1, 2006, is the amount of cable franchise tax and subscriber fee revenue the county or city certifies to the Secretary that it imposed during the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year. A county or city must make this certification by March 15, 2007. The certification must specify the amount of revenue that is derived from the cable franchise tax and the amount that is derived from the subscriber fee. (c1) Revised Certification. - If a county or city determines that the amount of cable franchise tax it imposed during the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year differs from the amount certified to the Secretary under subsection (c) of this section, the county or city may submit a new certification to the Secretary revising the amount. For distributions for quarters beginning on or after October 1, 2007, the Secretary must determine the proportionate share of a county or city based upon certifications submitted on or before October 1, 2007. For distributions for quarters beginning on or after April 1, 2008, the Secretary must determine the proportionate share of a county or city based upon certifications submitted on or before April 1, 2008. Certifications submitted after April 1, 2008, may not be used to adjust a county's or city's base amount under subsection (c) of this section. (d) Subsequent Distributions. - For subsequent fiscal years, the Secretary must multiply the amount of a county's or city's share under this section for the preceding fiscal year by the percentage change in its population for that fiscal year and add the result to the county's or city's share for the preceding fiscal year to obtain the county's or city's adjusted amount. Each county's or city's proportionate share for that year is its adjusted amount compared to the sum of the adjusted amounts for all counties and cities. (e) Use of Proceeds. - A county or city that imposed subscriber fees during the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year must use a portion of the funds distributed to it each fiscal year under subsections (c) and (d) of this section for the operation and support of PEG channels. The amount of funds that must be used for PEG channel operation and support in fiscal year 2006-2007 is two times the amount of subscriber fee revenue the county or city certified to the Secretary that it imposed during the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The amount of funds that must be used for PEG channel operation and support in subsequent fiscal years is the same proportionate amount of the funds that were distributed under subsections (c) and (d) of this section and used for this purpose in fiscal year 2006-2007. A county or city that used part of its franchise tax revenue in fiscal year 2005-2006 for the operation and support of PEG channels or a publicly owned and operated television station must use the funds distributed to it under subsections (c) and (d) of this section to continue the same level of support for the PEG channels and public stations. The remainder of the distribution may be used for any public purpose. (f) Late Information. - A county or city that does not submit information that the Secretary needs to make a distribution by the date the information is due is excluded from the distribution. If the county or city later submits the required information, the Secretary must include the county or city in the distribution for the quarter that begins after the date the information is received. (g) Population Determination. - In making population determinations under this section, the Secretary must use the most recent annual population estimates certified to the Secretary by the State Budget Officer. For purposes of the distributions made under this section, the population of a county is the population of its unincorporated areas plus the population of an ineligible city in the county, as determined under this section. (h) City Changes. - The following changes apply when a city alters its corporate structure or incorporates: (1) If a city dissolves and is no longer incorporated, the proportional shares of the remaining counties and cities must be recalculated to adjust for the dissolution of that city. (2) If two or more cities merge or otherwise consolidate, their proportional shares are combined. (3) If a city divides into two or more cities, the proportional share of the city that divides is allocated among the new cities on a per capita basis. (4) If a city incorporates after January 1, 2007, and the incorporation is not addressed by subdivisions (2) or (3) of this subsection, the share of the county in which the new city is located is allocated between the county and the new city on a per capita basis. (i) Ineligible Cities. - An ineligible city is disregarded for all purposes under this section. A city incorporated on or after January 1, 2000, is not eligible for a distribution under this section unless it meets both of the following requirements: (1) It is eligible to receive funds under G.S. 136-41.2. (2) A majority of the mileage of its streets is open to the public. (j) Nature. - The General Assembly finds that the revenue distributed under this section is local revenue, not a State expenditure, for the purpose of Section 5(3) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution. Therefore, the Governor may not reduce or withhold the distribution. (2006-151, s. 8; 2006-66, ss. 24.1(h), (i); 2007-145, s. 9(a); 2007-323, ss. 31.2(a), (b); 2007-527, s. 28; 2008-148, ss. 1, 2; 2009-451, s. 27A.2(d); 2010-158, s. 11(b); 2013-414, s. 45.)