Record year for resort tax collections

Whitefish’s resort tax collections for fiscal year 2014 reached record-setting levels.

From July 2013 through June 2014, $2.09 million was collected. It the first time collections from the 2 percent tax on restaurants and bars, retail, and lodging has topped the $2 million mark in a fiscal year.

For the year, collections were up about 5 percent over last year. Comparatively, fiscal year 2013 saw growth of about 10 percent over the prior year.

Collections were up each month of fiscal year 2014 except September and October. Numbers in those months likely were impacted by the federal government shutdown that closed Glacier National Park.

“Other than September and October, we had steady positive growth every month,” said Dylan Boyle, director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau. “Those two months were significantly down, but we still had a great year.”

“If anything, it reaffirms how much Glacier Park means to our economy,” he added.

The resort tax is generally used as an indicator of how local businesses have fared in a particular month or year.

The fiscal year ended on a strong note, with June up 2.36 percent over last year, even with the delayed opening of Glacier Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Boyle says the new fiscal year is off to a strong start, although hard numbers aren’t yet available.

“I’ve been hearing from businesses that they’re having a great summer in July and August,” he said. “I’ll be really curious to see the numbers.”

Boyle expects more steady growth in 2015.

“From what I’m seeing, I don’t see why we wouldn’t be above last year,” he said. “Hopefully, with a really good ski season coming up, we will see an increase again.”

Resort tax collections are used for street reconstruction and property-tax rebates for city residents. Five percent is used for parks and the remaining 5 percent for administration.