City resort tax nets $518,000 in nine months
Nucleus Avenue at night.
By CHRIS PETERSON
Hungry Horse News
Just nine months into its inception, the Columbia Falls city 3% resort tax will provide $518,452 in funding for the ‘22-’23 fiscal year.
The bulk of the tax — 55% will go toward public safety, or just over $300,000.
The city plans on spending about $192,000 toward hiring full-time firefighters. If a federal grant additionally comes through, the city would optimally like to hire three more full-time firefighters — enough to operate a fire truck.
Right now the city has one paid fire position — the chief.
The rest of the public safety money would go toward the police department, which is also short of personnel.
Twenty-five percent of the tax, or $135,435 will go toward property tax relief. Each homeowner will see a modest rebate on their city tax bill. In addition, 14% of the tax will go toward parks and public works, which amounts to $76,000.
The rest (5%) goes back to businesses for administering the tax and 1% goes to the city for administration.
The city will take a closer look at its funding options at its July 18 meeting, as it examines its preliminary budget for the 2022-23 year.
A public hearing, which continues until the city budget is passed — usually later in August — is set for 7 p.m.
Voters passed the tax in June 2020, but the city delayed implementation of the tax until October 2021 due to the pandemic.