The amount of any license fee and penalty imposed by the provisions of this article shall be deemed a debt to the city, and any person carrying on any business without first having procured a license from the city to do so shall be liable to an action in the name of the city in any court of competent jurisdiction, for the amount of license fee and penalties imposed on such business.

A penalty of fifty percent of the prescribed license tax shall be imposed for operating without first procuring a license. (Ord. 77-11 § 24, 1977)