Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Local option taxes see modest rise

Building down, drinking up in Ketchum

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By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

Whiskey Jacques' bottle slinger Thatcher Marsted pours another drink for patrons Monday. November's local option tax receipts on liquor by the glass were up 31 percent over last November's figure. Ketchum's LOT monies contribute to the capital improvement fund, helping to pay for sidewalks, curbs and street lighting. Photo by Willy Cook

Ketchum's sales tax on building materials dipped in the month of October, but city officials say the building moratorium enacted that month is not to blame.

Local option tax receipts for November 2005, representing purchases in October, came in at $137,833. That's a modest 2 percent increase over last November's figure of $135,213.

Building materials registered $33,371, an 11.53 percent drop from the November 2004 figure of $37,720.

"When the moratorium was put in place, all projects (already submitted) were allowed to go forward," said Ketchum City Administrator Ron LeBlanc.

The City Council on Oct. 11 enacted a 182-day moratorium on certain residential building applications for the city's commercial core.

The effect of that on building materials receipts likely won't be felt immediately because applications take time to be processed. Building materials are usually purchased after city approval, LeBlanc said.

Taxes from sales of liquor by the glass came in at $12,798, a figure 31 percent higher than last November.

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"The locals are doing their share again," LeBlanc said.

Room receipts for the month came in at $8,234, nearly 8 percent more than last November.

Condominium receipts dropped more than 14 percent, coming in at $2,332 for the month.

"If you look at them together, as far as lodging is concerned, we're up a smidgeon," LeBlanc said.

Other retail receipts totaled $81,098, showing a 4.8 percent increase over the previous November.

"Anything on the plus side is good," LeBlanc said. "We do really well in the beginning of October, then it tapers off and not much happens until the (ski) mountain opens."

November's sales tax receipts came in $10,785 over budget.