Town sales tax monthly revenue a record again

Up. The Town of La Conner’s sales tax revenue is $63,276 for September, reported by the state Department of Revenue for July sales. It is the highest report for the month, the highest 2023 monthly total and the third highest monthly total ever, behind two 2022 summer months. It brings the year-to-date revenue to 76% of budget projections. This is the first 2023 month to top a 2022 same month total.

As always, the special use fire tax tracks sales tax. The $6,284 matches in most ways: it is the highest 2023 monthly total, and a record for the collection month. The $49,965 collected to date is 92% of the projected budget. More money will be available in 2024 for purchasing fire equipment.

The $26,001 collected for the hotel motel tax pushes that budget over 100% of the projected total for 2023. It is $545 short of a monthly record, though it, too, is the third highest total for the month.

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.

The $14,275 in REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) revenue is much higher and out of synch with other months. Collection stands at 91.8% of the year’s total.

The $1,714 collected in property tax is typical for a summer month. The total to date is 55.9% of the year, but October and November collections total a sizable fraction of the year’s budget.

These tax sources are not the major source of La Conner’s revenue and pale compared to the four water and wastewater treatment funds which together account for over 60% of the town’s income. The water, sewer and compost funds revenues to date have brought in $3.2 million, 52.3% of the town’s revenues. Total revenues to date are $5.99 million, $880,000 ahead of the entire 2023 projection of $5.1 million with one quarter of the year left.

The four water and wastewater treatment funds are all above their year’s projected totals, by as much as 18% for the compost fund, with the fourth quarter to go.

Water and compost capital expenditures are close to 90% of their budget allocation.

The budget table does not indicate fourth quarter expenses in any program fund. More information is needed to analyze the expense side of the town’s budget.

La Conner has a calendar fiscal year.