A tax is imposed upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible property at retail, including machinery and equipment, in the city at the rate of one-half of one percent of the gross receipts from such sales made in the course of such business while this chapter is in effect, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 24, paragraph 8-11-1 of the Illinois Revised Statutes. (Ord. 458 § 1, 1980: prior code § 36-1-1)