Town revenue golden for 2024

Town revenue golden for ’24

The Town of La Conner’s $58,133 in November sales tax receipts raised the year’s total above $600,000, 98.5% of the 2024 budget. As in the past three years, the town will again exceed its sales tax revenue goal after December is reported.

Hotel/Motel tax revenues have already beaten the budget by a larger amount in 2024, at $187,102, 33.3% above the $140,400 projection. November’s totals were $20,919, almost 10% above 2023 and the second highest November total ever, same as the month’s sales tax revenues.

The same for the special use fire truck tax totals, at $5,798, $1,282 and 28% above last year.

The $124,237 paid in property taxes is the largest single 2024 collection and brings the fund total to 95.7% of the year’s estimate.

The $24,342 collected in REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) revenue brings that fund to 167% of projections.

The town’s water, drainage, sewer and compost funds totaled $ 288,874 last month, with water fees totaling $109,331, sewer $82,730, compost $69,355 and drainage $27,458. The funds’ annual aggregate total is $3.5 million, 55.6% of all revenues.

Year to date, budget revenue is $6.3 million, 83% of its projected total. The town will not meet its revenue goal only because almost $900,000 in public works streets funding was not realized and project(s) not undertaken. The town will finish well in the black, however: Expenditures are at $5.9 million, 62% of the 2024 budget. Only massive public works expenditures in December, with no revenue match, could unbalance the budget.

These totals are based on September collections from town businesses and online purchases delivered to La Conner addresses and reported to town council by the state’s Department of Revenue.

La Conner has a calendar fiscal year.