Did the Fourth of July fizzle again?
Tourist development tax dollars in Manatee County dropped off in July compared with July 2023, marking the second consecutive decline for the month, as tax dollars also dropped in 2023 from a monthly record in 2022.
The county tax collector’s office reported earlier this month that the tax revenues — the 5% tax levied on overnight rentals of six months or less — for July were $2,623,320. That’s a drop of 2.74% from July 2023, when the county gleaned $2,697,210.
As of July 31 in the fiscal 2023-24, the county had earned $27,623,321 in tourist tax revenue and was still on track to top a total of $30 million.
Holmes Beach accommodations in July produced $816,967 in tourist development tax dollars or 31.14% of the county’s total earnings.
Only unincorporated Manatee County accommodations yielded more than Holmes Beach, with $872,605 in collections or 33.26% of the revenue pie.
Anna Maria accommodations produced $403,934 or 15.4%, Bradenton Beach brought in $123,117 or 4.69%, and Longboat Key tallied $203,196 or 7.75%.
Bradenton earned $195,787 or 7.46% and Palmetto netted $7,761 or 0.3%.
After a 3% administrative fee, the county’s net tourist tax revenue for July was $2,544,621.
July is not the only month in which tax revenue declined in 2023-24. October was down 17.31%, as were revenues in November, December, January and April.
Under state law, resort tax earnings must be spent on tourism-bolstering initiatives.
The tourist development council funds the the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and advises the county commission on bed tax spending and, in years past, earnings from the levy have financed beach renourishment projects and the construction of two city piers, in Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach.
Other entities that have received tourist tax dollars include the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, the Bradenton Area Convention Center, Realize Bradenton and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August resort tax revenue data will be released in early October.
And in November, county voters will be asked to add a sixth penny to the tourist development tax in a question on the general election ballot.
The next TDC meeting will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at the Manatee County Administrative Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
July tourist tax collections:
July 2019: $1,398,555
July 2020: $1,620,700
July 2021: $2,764,559
July 2022: $2,800,988
July 2023: $2,697,210
July 2024: $2,623,320
Source: Manatee County Tax Collector