Colorado.

Denver's economy continues to

roar along, city sales tax

receipts show, despite the fact tt

revenue-producing construction ha

largely ended at Denver

International Airport.

Sales and use tax collections aof

April 1994 are 8% higher than tho

collected over the same period la

year, when Denver had one of its

best years ever, city officials sd.

Sales tax collections for 1993 we

11% higher than in 1992.

The sales and use tax generates half the estimated 1994 budget of $458 million. City officials saidhe

revenue is far in excess of

projections. Through April, the geral

fund surplus stood at $48.6 milli,

the best position Denver has ever been in.

The city has expected a sales t

drop. Collections include

construction taxes, which city ofcials

thought would be affected by slowg

construction at the $4 billion Deer

International.

In addition, World Youth Day

was staged in Denver last August,o

the city expects a drop-off in sas tax

collections for the same month th

year.

Denver Mayor Wellington Webb

recently accepted the city's firs

$2 million annual payment from th

Winter Park Recreation Associatio

The payment resulted from the

city successfully renegotiating i

long-term lease with the nonprofi

association that operates the Winr

Park/Mary Jane Ski Area. The

former lease paid the city $7,000er

year.

Webb had been attempting to

renegotiate the lease for more th a

year. At one point during the

contentious negotiating period, h

considered selling the city-ownedroperty

for more than $50 million. Denver owns the ski area because it was

donated to the city by a citizen.

"I firmly believe that while th

final agreement had some significt

differences from what I originall

proposed a year ago, the city wou

not have gotten this new agreemen

without having initially pushed t

first version," Webb said.

The money will go to the city's general fund, but Webb has

expressed an interest in divertinthe

money to the city parks program.

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