Resort tax collections in Manatee County for May climbed $443,406 from the amount collected in May 2010. The 74.6 percent increase from $330,910 collected last May to the $774,316 taken in May this year was so large that tax office officials double-checked the figures for accuracy.
“That’s what they were,” said a resort tax official after rechecking the figures.
For Anna Maria Island, resort tax — often called bed tax because it is collected from accommodations — collections rose from $182,913 in May 2010 to $375,871 in May 2011, a 94.8 percent increase. Those numbers impressed Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce president Mary Ann Brockman.
“That’s incredible,” Brockman said. “I know May was a great month for tourism, but that figure is astounding.”
Brockman wondered about the validity of the figures, but the collector’s office again confirmed the amount of collections.
“I believe we had a number of businesses that were behind and paid up in May, but I don’t know if it was $330,000,” a tax collector spokesperson said.
For May 2011, resort tax collections for Anna Maria were $63,127, a 198 percent increase when compared with $21,185 collected in the same month last year.
In Bradenton Beach, $89,065 in resort taxes were collected in May 2011 against $53,585 in May 2010, a 66.1 percent jump.
Holmes Beach had the largest increase, with $233,679 collected in May 2011 compared with $118,188 for May last year, a $115,491 gain and a 97.7 percent increase.
Longboat Key also increased its resort tax collections for May this year with $137,804 collected compared to $75,383 for May 2010, an increase of 82.8.
“It’s all good news, in fact it’s wonderful news,” Brockman said.
With more bed tax collections, there’s more money for the BACVB and more funding for beach renourishment of Anna Maria Island, she said.
“I really don’t know the reason. May was an incredible month for tourism,” Brockman noted, but using the rise or fall of resort tax collections in any particular month as a general guide to indicate tourism would mean occupancy of Island accommodations rose 75 percent in May 2011.
“That would be amazing,” she said.
What is more likely is that more taxable accommodations exist in areas that saw large increases in collections.
The resort tax is the 5 percent tax on the cost of renting an accommodation unit in Manatee County, including vacation homes and condominiums, hotel and motel rooms and apartments rented for six months or less.
Efforts to reach Manatee County Tax Collector Ken Burton for comment on the resort tax collection increase were unsuccessful by press deadline.
In recent years the AMI resort tax was increased from 4% to 5%. One reason given was to collect revenue to replace the roof on the Convention Center. With the wind-fall trend of May 2011 collections recommend authorities consider rescinding the recent 1% resort tax increase or apply part of the increased revenue toward funding the AMI trolly shortfall.