For the calendar year, the city received a total of $2586,984 in sales tax receipts. That was a $29,697 increase over the previous year and continued the small gains that started in 2011.
December's sales tax return of $220,684 was $23,767 ahead of the December 2014 return. For the year, the city averaged $215,582 each month in sales tax receipts. For seven of the 12-month reporting period, sales tax numbers were ahead of the previous year's totals.At the same time, the city has been benefitting from a 19-month-old motel tax that has added $133,527 to the town's revenue.
That tax was first collected in May, 2014 and at the end of the first year of collections, brought in $77,021. From May to November of 2015, the city has realized $56,506 in motel tax receipts.
City manager Ted Graham said he was surprised with the monthly returns. Originally, council members were estimating the tax would generate around $3,000 each month. In 2014 it averaged $6,418 monthly and has averaged $8,072 in the first seven months of the current cycle.
Funds from the motel tax are to be used for promotion of the town as well as park and beautification efforts.
