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.