Resort tax collections dip in January

Resort tax collections in Whitefish were down for the first month of 2015.

Tax collections in January dipped by 4.2 percent or $5,400 compared to January 2014.

City Manager Chuck Stearns said there are some delinquencies for the month that might account for the drop in revenues.

For the year-to-date, resort tax collections are still up 5 percent or $72,000 ahead of last year. The fiscal year 2015 runs from July 2014 through June 2015.

Collections for 2015 to date have been up five of the seven months so far.

The highest increase was in August 2014, when collections were up 10 percent over the previous year. Collections for that month totaled $321,739.

In addition to January, November 2014 saw a slight decrease in collections.

The 2 percent resort tax is collected at lodging, bars and restaurants, and retail establishments in Whitefish. The tax is generally used as an indicator of how local businesses have fared in a particular month or year.

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.