While Fremont County’s 2013 retail sales tax collections continue to lag behind 2012’s numbers and behind 2013 budget estimates, the news from October’s receipts are still better than what may have been expected following the June wildfire at the Royal Gorge Bridge.
Fremont County Finance and Budget Director Sunny Bryant shared the latest collection figures with the Board of Commissioners at their December 24th regular meeting. She said 2013 year to date retail sales tax collections for Fremont County is $3,171,673. Bryant said that is $21,602 or 0.68% below 2012 year to date levels through 10 months. Bryant said that figure is also $18,704 or 0.09% below what the county was anticipating for the budget in 2013. Bryant and the Board of Commissioners were fearful that sales tax collections would drop even more severely following June’s wildfire that closed the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.
Bryant said auto use tax collections for 2013 are actually up from 2012 levels by $25,000 or 3.8%. Use taxes on construction materials for 2013 are down by $43,000 or 21.3% from a year ago. Bryant said the combined retail sales use, auto use tax, and construction use tax are down by only about $4,000 from a year ago. Bryant added that Cañon City Finance Director Harry Patel reported that the city’s November sales tax collections were strong so she is hopeful that will be reflected in the county’s number which won’t be known for another 30 days since the county’s sales tax collections are distributed by the State of Colorado.
In other business on a very brief Christmas Eve agenda the Board of Commissioners also:
- Approved a resolution authorizing the town of Monument, Colorado, to take over the issuance of revenue bonds as a finance mechanism for Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs;
- Approved a resolution re-appointing Fremont County Veteran’s Service Officer Al Augustine to a full two year appointment through January 7, 2016. His initial appointment was to fill a vacancy for one year;
- Approved transfer of ownership of a wireless cell tower behind the Cotopaxi School from Mercury Towers to Global Tower Assets LLC;
- Approved a two lot minor subdivision for Jane Bachman for her 40.76 acres of property on Eight Mile Hill west of Cañon City.