Borough provides additional sales tax revenue data

The Mat-Su Borough has provided updated numbers for sales tax revenue collected in the Talkeetna Sewer and Water District.

Initially, Borough Finance Director Cheyenne Heindel reported revenue of about $300. She now says that number was for revenue collected in the month of February only. Total receipts are significantly higher. Heindel says including funds received in the first two weeks of March, total revenue is over $14,000.

According to a letter sent by the borough to business owners, thirty-five percent of businesses doing business in the district filed sales tax revenue. Just under half reported no sales in January, and one in five have pre-filed zero sales through May. Twelve percent did not file, and received a second notice.

The sales tax entered into effect on January 1^st of this year. It was approved by voters living in the sewer and water district last October as a means of providing additional revenue for the utility, which suffered from perennial budget shortfalls until significant rate hikes in recent years.