At exactly halfway through the calendar year, the county has spent its way through 49.3% of its budget, leaving it ahead of schedule by $95,641.
“I think it’s great that we’re under 50%,” County Commissioner Bruce Martinson told fellow board members at their regular meeting Tuesday, July 20, 2010.
Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers informed the board that income from the first month of the new countywide 1% sales and use tax that began in April brought in $40,318.15. Themoney has been approved by the state legislature for various infrastructure projects throughout the county. The tax was expected to generate about $1,000,000 a year, which would be $83,333 a month. With a seasonally based economy, fluctuations in tax income from month to month are expected.
Each of the last three full years a local option sales tax was collected for hospital improvements (2005-2007), annual income was over $1,000,000. May receipts were much lower than the amounts brought in during the peak months of August, September, and October.
Power said things like hotel reservations that are made online are not necessarily collecting the 1% tax. He will be sending letters to some businesses to remind them to collect the tax.
Auditor-Treasurer Powers also informed the board that three hospital board positions will be up for election this fall – those of incumbents Sharon Bloomquist in District 1, Howard Abrahamson in District 3, and Tom Spence, Sr., in District 5. The filing period for those wishing to run will be August 3-17.
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