City of Shoreline Sales Tax Collections Up 9.7 Percent Compared to Last Year

The news about the economy has been mixed lately, but in Shoreline sales tax revenues are up 9.7 percent through the end of April 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.

Shoreline's sales tax collections are up in large part to the Brightwater wastewater treatment plant construction which brought in nearly half of the increase because of the construction sales tax levied.

Still, even without Brightwater collections are up 5 percent as of April over the previous year. Counting retail sales tax only and no construction, sales tax revenues are up 2.7 percent as of the end of April.

Total collections are up $237,825 through April. In April alone, collections were up $154,707, a 32 percent increase over April 2011.

Construction sales tax by itself has exploded. Counting Brightwater its up 108.8 percent so far this year when compared to last. Not counting Brightwater its still up 55.2 percent.

Sales and use tax collections are estimated to be about $7.41 million this year. While sales tax collections are rising and expected to rise in the next several years along with utility taxes, property taxes collections are expected to dip next year. Gambling tax revenues are also declining and are expected to do so in the forseeable future.