Friday, January 13, 2006

Condo, liquor tax receipts take dip

Retail does well in November

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By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

Kelly Bird of Bird & Company in Ketchum conducts a transaction with Carolina Gomez. Retail receipts from November, as reported to the city in December, rose nearly 5 percent from the previous November. The "other retail" category in the local option tax report showed the highest percentage increase. Photo by David N. Seelig

Despite the moratorium on some residential building applications in Ketchum's core, November's sales tax receipts on building materials dipped only slightly.

Ketchum local option tax receipts for December 2005, representing sales in November, came in at $117,579, a 1.25 percent drop from the previous December's total.

Sales receipts on building materials declined 8.6 percent over last year's figure, coming in at $26,119.

The six-month moratorium approved Oct. 11 may not have a huge impact on building materials receipts because it is limited in scope, said City Administrator Ron LeBlanc. It pertains only to applications for single-family dwellings or projects that include first-floor residential units in all areas of the city's Community Core zoning district.

Other retail sales posted $77,535, or a nearly 5 percent increase over last December's report.

Taxes on room receipts showed a modest rise, eking out a 3.5 percent rise to garner $3,437.

Liquor receipts took a dive, posting a figure 20 percent less than December 2004's number. This December's figure of $9,734 is $2,495 less than last year.

Condo receipts declined as well, dropping nearly 27 percent. December's receipts in that category came in at $753, approximately $276 less than last December.

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Still, LOT receipts for the fiscal year beginning in October are 5.6 percent more than the previous year-to-date figure.

"It reflects conservative budgeting," LeBlanc said. "The local economy seems to be doing fine."

Year-to-date, the city is $34,157 over-budget.

The city of Ketchum imposes a 2 percent sales tax on lodging and liquor by the glass, and a 1 percent tax on items in the other categories.

The money goes into the city's general fund, helping to pay for public transit, land acquisition and public services such as police, fire and ambulance.