Trending upward

June sales tax and bed, board and booze totals up six percent with numbers expected to rise

WILLIAMS - Things are looking up. Sales tax and Bed, Board and Booze (BBB) revenue for the city of Williams is on the rise.

According to Interim City Manager/Finance Director Joe Duffy, sales tax and BBB combined was up six percent in June compared to June 2009.

"We were still down 12 percent year to date," he said. "We were projecting we would be down 15 percent."

Duffy said the city is roughly $104,000 ahead in revenue than originally projected.

"For us, we've had mostly down months but a couple of up months," Duffy said. "Seeing the activity return in June and based on what we're seeing around town it's a good positive sign for the community."

Duffy went on to say he expects total collections through the end of the tourist season to at least equal prior years if not better.

An improving national economy, reasonable gas prices at the pump and a bolstered city marketing effort are factors Duffy said have likely helped create the upward trend.

"Everything combined, it's all helping out," he said. "We're starting the new fiscal year off at least positive."

July sales tax numbers will not be available until the end of August. June sales tax numbers actually reflect revenue generated in May. Duffy said the remainder of the summer looks to continue the upward trend.

"May was good, but I think June was phenomenal," he said. "We had weather issues at the end of May. June was just busy, busy, busy, July was busy, busy, busy. I'm really thinking we're going to be up substantially over last year."

Business owners in downtown Williams are split on whether or not they felt the effect of last month's seven percent rise in sales tax revenue.

Troy Troutman, owner of Hidden Treasures, said the summer tourist season didn't kick into high gear until June.

"What we used to see in February and March, started in June," he said. "It's late. Is it going to get me through the winter? I'm hoping it does. Things are going back in line again."

Troutman went on to say while sales are improving, he is not seeing dramatic increases. He speculated that BBB numbers are likely helping to fill out the seven percent increase.

Jacque Bessler, co-owner of Colors of the West, said she and her husband Mike have not seen anything resembling an increase in sales.

"Business is the same as last year which was our worst year ever," she said. "We're not feeling it. We're just glad we aren't below last year because we were during the first quarter. We're not seeing any increase. Maybe (tourists) are just eating and sleeping and not shopping."

At Whitehorse Trading Company, Adriana Jensen said sales have been hit and miss but that a seven percent increase seems realistic.

"Some days we'll have really good sales and some days aren't so good," she said, adding that the Fourth of July weekend was particularly strong for sales.