The Resort Tax Board is proud to report the following facts from the District’s fiscal year:
- 2013 gross taxable sales were up 11% over 2012.
- 2013 tax collections were the highest in the history of the Resort Tax.
- Tax collections are up 21% over last year for the six months ending December 2013.
In June 2013, Resort Tax appropriated $3+ million among 22 applicants. Resort Tax is Big Sky’s principal source of funding and is essential to community benefits including emergency services, parks, trails, tourism development and the arts.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming appropriation process. If your organization’s programming provides a service or project for the Big Sky community, you may apply for appropriation of tax funds. Applications are due April 14th, the Question and Answer Session is May 14th and the Final Appropriations Meeting is June 11th. Download an application at www.ResortTax.org.
In November 2013, the Big Sky community elected three of the five board seats. We welcome new Board Member Heather Budd and returning Board Members Ginna Hermann and Jeff Strickler. At the November 2013 meeting, Jamey Kabisch was elected by the board as Chairperson, Mike Scholz as Vice Chairperson, Ginna Hermann as Secretary and Heather Budd as Treasurer.
This year, the District audited ten tax collectors. The results disclosed a few underpayments due to process errors. The audits were helpful and educational for both the board and the collectors. We thank all resort tax collectors for your time and cooperation.
In the spirit of working Better Together, the board is hosting two Town Hall Meetings February 13th and March 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. The first meeting includes a public reading of the revised governing ordinance, bonding information and application review.
The second meeting includes presentations from three organizations that identified community needs and gained 2013-14 resort tax funds for planning: the Community Corporation Recreation Facilities Plan, the Chamber Affordable Housing Plan and Visit Big Sky’s Marketing Plan.
We look forward to seeing you at the Town Hall Meetings and to another record setting year in 2014.