4th quarter sales and use tax revenue up 4 percent

4th quarter up 4 percentRBC I Sales and use tax revenues are an indicator of the state of the economy and a vital factor in local government budgets.In the fourth quarter of 2010, total receipts collected by the towns of Meeker and Rangely and the county were 4 percent higher than 2009 numbers. The combined total for October-December 2010 was $1,879,855. That increase is largely attributed to a 28 percent jump from 2009 to 2010 for the town of Rangely, from $226,744 to $313,500. Rio Blanco County saw a 1 percent increase, from $1,187,470 in 2009 to $1,198,377 in 2010. The town of Meeker, however, recorded a 10 percent decrease in sales and use tax revenue from October to December 2010. Meeker reported $404,903 for the fourth quarter of 2009, $367,978 for the same period in 2010.Sales and use tax receipts include collected taxes for retail sales, motor vehicle use tax and building materials use tax.