Town sales tax revenue again tops $60,000

Sales tax revenues collected for the Town of La Conner were $62,269 in October, the third straight month above $60,000. Sales tax revenues in 2021 have set records monthly, except for February. Over $521,587 has been collected to date. The town’s 2020 budget projected $328,202, the staff not knowing how tourists would respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The three months of May-July each had collections above $50,000, another first.

The total collected the first ten months of 2021 is almost 60% above the year’s projected income of $328,202. November’s collections three of the past four years have exceeded October’s totals. La Conner will almost certainly raise more than $600,000 in 2021 from sales tax.

The $24,731 in hotel/motel tax revenue is the second month in a row above $24,000. The $141,162 collected to date this year exceeds by 13% the previous to date total of 2017-2020 and exceeds 2021’s total income projection by 60%.

October’s Firetruck Sales Tax receipts of $6,201 also exceeds $6,000 for the third month in a row, is the second highest ever after August and is 71% above the year’s forecasted income.

The high sales tax, firetruck sales tax and motel/hotel tax collections may be an indication that more people are vacationing overnight closer to home in response to the pandemic.

These totals are based on August collections from town businesses and online purchases delivered to La Conner addresses and reported to town council.

La Conner has a calendar fiscal year.