Steamboat Pilot & Today

The city's September sales tax report, the most recent available, showed that sporting goods and retail spending increased more than 20 percent each from September 2004.

September sales tax revenues increased 12.9 percent from September 2004, bringing in $1.1 million.

Don Taylor, director of financial services, presented the report to City Council members at a recent meeting.

Taylor said the September increase was good but that he was more enthusiastic about the January through September increase compared with 2004, which was 7.7 percent, or $11.3 million.

The increase was a "good trend in terms of comparison to last year," he said.

Other Colorado mountain communities are seeing similar trends. Winter Park's year-to-date increase by September was 7.5 percent, including a 10.4 percent increase from September 2004 to 2005. Glenwood Springs saw a 5.8 percent increase year-to-date, and September 2005 sales-tax revenues were up 11 percent from September 2004.

Taylor also noted that Steamboat's September sales-tax revenues were higher, in part, because some retailers pay 13 times a year, and there were double payments made that month.

City Manager Paul Hughes said year-to-date, general-fund expenditures were identical to the same period last year.

The largest increases in Sept--ember were in sporting goods at 30.4 percent, miscellaneous retail at 21.8 percent and liquor stores at 11.1 percent. Lodging increased less than 1 percent.

Two categories saw decreases from the previous September. Utilities were down 12.2 percent, and restaurants were down 2.2 percent.

September historically generates the most revenue of the shoulder seasons, but far less than the tourist-heavy winter and summer months.