(a) Effective Date. – A tax or a tax increase levied under this Article becomes effective on the date set by the board of trustees in the resolution levying the tax or the tax increase. The effective date must be the first day of a month and may not be earlier than the first day of the second month after the board of trustees adopts the resolution.

(b) Collection. – A tax levied by an Authority under this Article shall be collected by the Authority but shall otherwise be administered in the same manner as the optional gross receipts tax levied by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-187.5 Like the optional gross receipts tax, a tax levied under this Article is to be added to the lease or rental price of a U-drive-it vehicle or motorcycle and thereby be paid by the person to whom it is leased or rented.

A tax levied under this Article applies regardless of whether the retailer who leases or rents the U-drive-it vehicle or motorcycle has elected to pay the optional gross receipts tax on the lease or rental receipts from the vehicle. A tax levied under this Article must be paid to the Authority that levied the tax by the date an optional gross receipts tax would be payable to the Secretary of Revenue under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-187.5 if the retailer who leases or rents the U-drive-it vehicle or motorcycle had elected to pay the optional gross receipts tax.

(c) Penalties and Remedies. – The penalties and remedies that apply to local sales and use taxes levied under Subchapter VIII of this Chapter apply to a tax levied under this Article. The board of trustees of an Authority may exercise any power the Secretary of Revenue or a board of county commissioners may exercise in collecting local sales and use taxes. (1997-417, s. 3; 1998-98, s. 35; 1999-452, s. 28.)