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May 18, 2010 07:23 PM UTC

Local Economies Showing Broad Recovery

  • 19 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

A few noteworthy reports today from around the state–Colorado Springs Gazette:

Colorado Springs sales tax collections rose for a sixth consecutive month in April, raising hopes among city officials and economists that the local economy is recovering more strongly than expected from its worst downturn in nearly 20 years.

The $9.15 million collected last month by the city’s Financial and Administrative Services Department was up 5.46 percent from a year earlier. The April collections reflect consumer and business purchases made in March. The gains so far this year come in comparison with some of the weakest months ever for city sales tax collections, which at this point last year were down 8.48 percent from the previous year…

Fred Crowley, senior economist for the Southern Colorado Economic Forum, said the recent increases in sales tax collections show the local economy has been improving; the gains are stronger than the 3 percent to 4 percent gains he had forecast for this year.

And a pair of reports from the Summit Daily News:

There’s light at the end of the tunnel, finally. Frisco’s March sales tax collection numbers are up. The town reported a 4.43 percent growth for the month, or just under $24,000. Year-to-date, the town is still 1.01 percent down over last year’s first quarter.

“It’s the first growth since March of 2008,” said Frisco’s revenue specialist Chad Most.

Frisco was 0.7 percent down over February of 2009, or just over $3,000 down. January 2010 revenues were down 7.13 percent, and January 2009 collections were down 12.87 percent from 2008.

This is good news for the town, since its goal for the year it to remain flat with 2009 and keep its budget as is. With continued growth, this may now be possible.

Dillon’s sales tax collection in January 2010 was up 1.5 percent over January 2009, or $5,000. And the town’s revenues for December 2009 were up 2.77 percent, with an overall $14,900 increase over 2008.

For March, McDonnell reported collections being up in both the restaurants, lodging and retail sectors…

In February, the Town of Silverthorne’s sales tax revenues showed an uptick for the first time in 17 months. The town’s sales tax revenues in February 2010 were 4.84 percent higher than in February 2009.

Sales tax revenue collected by local communities represent one of the clearest (and quickest) indicators available of the health of an underlying local economy. These three reports are from today, but you can find similar recent stories from all over the state as the economy continues to stabilize: a recovery that may well be outpacing forecasts.

In addition to being really good news for policymakers at every level from town councils to the General Assembly, at some point (hasn’t happened yet that we’ve seen) continuing good news about the economy is going to make it tough for opportunist candidates to declare to low-information audiences that “the only part of the economy growing is the government.” Sooner or later somebody in that audience who knows better is going to put their hand up.

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19 thoughts on “Local Economies Showing Broad Recovery”

    1. .

      After the brainiacs on this site excoriated Somalia Springs for reining in deficit spending, we don’t want to highlight the fact that that was the proper course of action, leading to mild recovery.  

      .

  3. You trolls seriously have no credibility. Don’t you have anything to say about this post? About the fact that the economy is recovering? Any “friends” of Jane Norton planning to correct the statement quoted above before she lies again?

    Laughing Boy?

    Libertad?

    GOPwarrior?

    cologeek?

    Anybody?

    NO credibility, trolls.

    1. cologeek or LB belong in that group at all. That’s utterly unfair and kind of a cheap shot. They may both be hard core Republicans but they are hardly trolls. Hell, if we’re going to start calling people we don’t agree with trolls, that means we are all trolls and I’m not particularly interested in being labeled that.  

      1. No disrespect to you of course, but LB has to show me more than spurious half truths, non sequitirs and apologetics for the same crazies he claims to not support before I’ll afford him any respect. I truly do find him one of the most disingenuous people in this forum. But he’s not around as much, since his only job these days is to stop other Republicans from commenting in the negative about Jane Norton. No agenda there!

        You say cologeek is better, but if that’s true, why wouldn’t he comment on this story? Or the other Republicans who have been parroting Rush Limbaugh’s bets against America? Republican candidates are lying on the campaign trail every day about the state of the economy, trading on fear and doing real economic harm. Where is the outrage, MotR?

        Have you ever wondered if the real problem is that we let them get away with denial of every reality that doesn’t suit them? Not just here, but everywhere?

        1. No, I don’t think that’s the real problem. I think the real problem is the level of vehement intolerance shown to anyone that has a different political view than you. Why haven’t they commented? Maybe because they have lives and don’t live on this blog? Or maybe most people don’t have much of a desire to engage someone who starts the conversation off by insulting them.

          I don’t know why they haven’t commented and frankly, I don’t care. They aren’t on paid duty to respond at your whim.

          Where is the outrage? You gotta be kidding. Where’s the conversation? This isn’t Daily Kos–preaching to the choir works over there. Calling people names and hiding comments works there. Not here. If you want someone to have a conversation with you on the subject of a recovering economy, maybe refrain from calling them names and they’ll actually bother to engage you.

          I don’t see having a civil disagreement with someone over a political issue as allowing anyone to get away with denial. I think it’s having a conversation. Either you are genuinely interested in having one or you’re just interested in screaming at somebody and indulging yourself in a monologue. Which is it?  

          1. I don’t see this ‘conversation’ you insist on happening all that much, but I save the kind of invective you just flashed at me for people I don’t like. I have always liked you even when I disagree with you, and qualitatively I can’t say the same for LB. That’s my opinion.

            Done here. This is a blog.

          2. Let’s try to elevate the discourse here, all of us. I think this blog is the essence of what the First Amendment is all about, and there are many who have sacrificed plenty to preserve, protect, and defend that.

            Let’s not denigrate that by sophomoric personal attacks because someone has a different viewpoint or pound them into the ground because they’ve been wrong.  

            “What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly – that is the first law of nature”

            Voltaire

        2. not commenting is that I was too tired last night after 12 hours on the job (tractor-trailer rollover just before rush hour down here) to comment properly.

          As Fred Allen used to say, “There’s good news tonight!”(or at least this morning).  At least for the cities referenced above, an increase in sales tax shows that people are more willing to spend, rather than hold on to their money.  So at least here in Colorado (which was one of the least hard hit states recession-wise) things are starting to look up.  Especially when compared to to places like California and Michigan.

  5. Well, Pop Rocks anyway. Glad to hear your business is doing well David! Mine have weathered the storm, but we’re still tightening our belts.

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