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Steamboat Springs ends 2013 with 7 percent gain in December sales tax

Scott Franz

— Call it a perfect storm.

A combination of good snow, more visitors and gradually increasing lodging rates are thought to be behind Steamboat Springs’ substantial jump in December’s sales tax revenue.

The latest report showed revenue in that month jumped 7.2 percent, or $160,438, from December 2012.



It was one of the biggest jumps in 2013.

“We’re very happy to see the results,” Finance Director Kim Weber said Tuesday.



December historically has been Steamboat’s biggest month for sales tax revenue, and after the strong finish in 2013, the city will end the fiscal year with at least $2.1 million more in sales tax than the Steamboat Springs City Council budgeted for.

The excess is slated to go into reserves.

Weber said there still are a large number of unfiled returns for December, and the sales tax numbers could improve by time the final report comes out later this month.

Also up in the preliminary December report was the city’s lodging tax (+14.7 percent) and the sales tax that supports the air service (+7.3 percent).

The latest sales tax report wasn’t without some disappointing news, however.

While all industry sectors and most parts of town saw another month of sales tax gains, the downtown corridor as a whole actually posted a 6.5 percent decrease in collections for December.

The mountain area saw a 12.1 percent increase in collections.


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