September Town tax collections

The Town of La Conner’s streak of seven months of record setting sales tax receipts is broken, but barely. The $60,900 reported to the Town in September is $72 below last year’s. That is the second smallest drop among the Town’s September tax funds.

While the month’s hotel/motel tax revenues of $26,546 was the second highest ever, it is $185 below last September’s record collection.

Likewise, the $6,041 firetruck sales tax receipts are $15 below the month in 2021.

Still, all three funds now exceed 100% of the year’s projected revenue with three months left in 2022.

For 2021’s fourth quarter sales tax revenues topped $171,000. Even if there is a modest decline in tourist visits, La Conner can reach $150,000 above its projected sales tax revenue.

The $10,977 in real estate excise tax (REET) is more than double any previous September. That fund is at 194% the budget’s projection, close to double.

Town revenues in almost every fund continue to surpass projections and are at 88% for the year, versus 75% if monies were collected equitably each month. The four water and sewage funds are at least 83% and as much as 90% at income projections while expenses for each are between 46% and 65% expenditures. If there are high fourth quarter costs, these numbers could drastically change.

Whatever fall’s weather predictions, tourist levels for the fourth quarter are also an unknown.

These totals are based on July collection from town stores and online purchases delivered to La Conner addresses and reported to town council from the state’s Department of Revenue.

La Conner has a calendar fiscal year.