The Manatee County Tax Collector reported a dip in collections in December 2015 compared to December 2014. Overall, the year ended on a high note.
According to the tax collector’s office, the resort tax collected in November 2015 was $291,743.64.
It represents a $24,739.18 increase over taxes collected November 2014.
However the numbers dropped for December 2015. The tax collector reported $250,869.04 from the tourism industry in December.
For December 2014, the county collected $398,503.57 in resort taxes.
It’s a drop of $147,634.53.
Even though the collections were lower in the last month of the year, the tax collector’s office reported $5,677,616.93 in collections for the year, a 14.5 percent increase over the 2014 collections.
The resort tax is officially the tourist development tax, also known as the bed tax or tourist tax. It’s a tax of 5 percent on all county accommodations rented for six months or less.
The funds are managed by the Tourist Development Council, which answers to the county commission.
The TDC allocates funding with commission approval to award matching grants to tourism-related projects in the Manatee area and to fund the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, an organization focused on marketing Manatee County for tourism and industry.
— Tal Reeve
Anna Maria Island resort tax collections:
• November 2014: $267,004.46.
• November 2015: $291,743.64.
• December 2014: $398,503.57.
• December 2015: $250,869.04.
• 2014 Total: $4,909,098.65.
• 2015 Total: $5,677,616.93.